16 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



September 25. I'.fll 



agandii which would lead to the natural deduction that all furni- 

 ture inanufacturers are criminally engaged in the ])ractice of 

 misrepresenting their product and gaining immense profits there- 

 from. The furniture buying public in the main is unable to i)ur- 

 chase furniture made entirely of the more expensive cabinet woods. 

 It .should, therefore, be given the option of paying the price f<ir the 

 all genuine article or paying a smaller price for a jiartially gcn- 

 >iine article, and in the case of the latter decision should not be 

 compelled to believe that through that choice it is necessarily losing 

 anything in durability or utility. 



Every impulse of honesty, though, dictates that the liuycr should 

 be given .-i real opportunity to judge for himself, and obviou.sly 

 that he might do so, he must be informed of the character of the 

 component parts in the piece he is about to purchase. The imme- 

 diate advantage of this education would be to conclusively show 

 him that by sacrificing the sentiment and satisfaction which always 

 attaches to the knowledge that one possesses the genuine article, 

 he can secure the same utility and beauty of design and at least 

 an approximation of the general beauty of color and figure at .-i 

 low cost or that by paying the higher price he can embody all of 

 these latter advantages with the first. 



Unfortunately there are some makers of furniture and some deal- 

 ers in furniture who willfully and deliberately misrepresent their 

 goods. Habdwooi) Record believes, however, that the vast major- 

 ity of furniture manufacturers marketing furniture partially made 

 of other woods than walnut or mahogany have no such intent to 

 deliberately misrepresent, and sincerely believe that they are 

 merely following legitimate trade custom in their designation and 

 description of articles. 



The honest furniture niauufacturer who is not guilty of will- 

 fully misrepresenting, is entitled to believe that one liandliug such 

 a substantial quantity of hardwoods in the form of furniture as 

 does the average retail linyer, should be sufficiently conversant 

 with the raw material refpiirements involved in the manufacture 

 of moderately jiriced lines, to recognize for the most part the 

 character of the component jiarts of the article and to realize that 

 the term "finish'' as used in describing furniture obviously refers 

 to the finish ])ut on tlic furniture. It is far-fetched reasoning 

 which argues that it can refer to anything else. At the same time 

 inasmuch as the use of this term might apparently lead to confu- 

 sion, descriptions should lie further amplified by the manufacturer 

 in order that responsibility may rest upon the retailers' shoulders. 

 The manufacturer then should educate the retailer to the economic 

 and frequently constructional necessity of using other than the 

 higher priced woods, in \arying degree according to the selling 

 price of furniture, and should further educate the retailer so that 

 he may in turn projieriy |ircseut the articli' to the prospective 

 buyer. 



Such educational work is being successfully carried on today and 

 its jiossible accomplishment is the permanent elimination of illicit 

 practices, for with education comes conviction, whereas from 

 threats come alarm and subterfuge. The walnut association has as 

 cuie of its principal purposes such an educational campaign and it 



is the announced principal purpose of the mahogany association 

 launched on August 1, to maintain a similar effort. In its cam- 

 paign which has been carried on now for some time by the walnut 

 association, it has had the support of both manufacturers and 

 dealers, whereas while the current propaganda will easily scare 

 off those who have willfully misrepresented, it is a)iparently hav- 

 ing the additional effect of creating distrust among the other ele- 

 ment, which result will be more harmful than beneficial. The 

 attemjit, though, is not futile if this succeeds in bringing to a head 

 the necessity for getting action in the matter of misrepresenting 

 furniture. Substitution is logical and economically necessary. The 

 exjianding use of plywood is desirable and conducive to increas- 

 ing strength, greater beauty and increased lasting qualities when 

 properly used, but willful misrepresentation should auil must cease! 



Steel Trust's Greed Maintains Depression 



TH.\T THK GREED OF THE WALL STREET MASTER.S of 

 the great steel companies is standing between the Nation and 

 recovery from the blight of depression is claimed by John B. 

 Dunlaji, editor of "Industrial Man.agement, " who has called on 

 the trade press of the country to lay the facts before the people. 

 Mr. Dunlap declares that "the way these speculators in 'steel 

 common' h.ive tied up our great steel industry now jiromises to be- 

 come a national scandal — because it is so inhuman and wholly 

 unnecessary. In cold blood they have summarily discharged over 

 a million steel workers, who for months past have been idle, and 

 tlieir definite purpose is to cut off supplies and thus force steel 

 consumers to go on paying war prices, precisely as they forced 

 Director General Hines, against his vigorous public protest, to pay 

 the exorbitant price of $47 per ton for steel rails — and other steel 

 equipment in proportion! That has already cost the railroads and 

 the taxpayers hundreds of millions of clollars — and tlii- ijrofit sheets 

 of the steel companies prove it conclusively.'' 



Since 1914 the eight leading steel organizations have made a 

 net increase in cash surplus and working capital of :ipproximately 

 $600,000,000, in spite of paying all fixed charges and making unpre- 

 cedented expenditures for " 'ordinary repairs' and new construc- 

 tion," Mr. Dunlap says. But in spite of this bountiful harvest of 

 war profits the steel makers still insist upon their exorbitant war 

 prices for steel, thus forcing the consumers to remain "out on 

 strike. ' ' There can be no renewal of prosperity and unemployment 

 and a depressed commerce and industi-y must continue as long as 

 this greedy policy is adhered to, he contends. 



This editor believes that publication of the facts will so arouse 

 the public that the steel speculators will be driven from their uncon- 

 scionable position. Lumber, of course, will take an enthusiastic 

 interest in seeing this done, for the lumber industry has taken its 

 defiation medicine, a dose that well nigh laid it out, and is in a 

 position to realize how damnably unfair any other policy is. 



The .\uieric.iii who has partaken of food in a Greek restaurant 

 can't help but symii.-ithize with the Turks in the present little mix 

 uji in the Near East. 



Table of Contents 



REVIEW AND OUTLOOK: 



General Market Conditions 15 



The Right and Wrong of Anti-Misrepresentation Campaigns 15-16 



SPECIAL ARTICLES: 



Trained Leadf rship 17 



Probable Requirements of Hardwood for Turned and Shaped Wood 



Products 18 



Snapshots of a Philipp'ne Lumber Operation 19-20 



Grand Rapids Is on a "Hawk" Hunt 20 & 22-23 



Memphis Market Improves Tone •; 22 



NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITAL: 



Suggestions From the Lumber Trade 21 



Miscellaneous . . 21 



CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS: 



Miscellaneous 23-24 & 26 



Plywood Ad Campaign Money Pledged 35-36 



HARDWOOD NEWS 



HARDWOOD MARKET 



CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS 

 ADVERTISERS' DIRECTORY 



28-34 

 34 & 51-54 



56-58 



SS 



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