1<S 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



May 10. i:i:;i 



l)iit conversely as thov arc reuiovcil one by one, the resulting benefit 

 will lie proportionati'ly great, for instance, labor cost is today the 

 one hig item in tlie liuililing industry which is seriously hampering 

 the building program. There are nullions of dollars of work pent up 

 in anticipation of a more reasonable basis of labor charge. A large 

 volume of this business will be released when a fair settlement in 

 labor troubles is brought about. We have a similar example in rail- 

 road circles as operating costs, due in a very large measure to ex- 

 (irliilant labor charge, prohibit necessary purchases of supplies. 

 With these factors ad.justed the railroads will he in a ]iosition where 

 they can make necessary [lurchases. 



The encouraging feature is that tlie.se problems are being seriously 

 and strenuously attacked with fair and reasonable liope for their 

 early solution, and as each such obstruction is removed it will cun 

 tribute its large share toward rehabilitation. 



Hasing its opinion strictly upon observation of onU'rs, Hanlwood 

 Record feels secure in predicting fairly consistent improvement, 

 marked there and there by lapses of less and less seriousness, and it 

 also feels confident that its advice to buy lumber today is sound. 

 There can l)e ncd the slightest doubt of lumber having reached its 

 bottom tignre and those who buy a few months hence will unques 

 tionably buy at a higln'r price. Maybe not in all items, but on the 

 .-iverage. 



factor of taxes and the present substantially higher transportation 

 charges. All of these items arc necessarily added to the basic cost of 

 the material. 



While it is true that selling prices are in some cases higher than 

 they were in jtrc-war times, although other items are selling for even 

 less than at that time, costs have gone up proportionately greater 

 and the resulting comparison as cited above is typical of the wlml.- 

 industry. 



Hardwood Kicord wishes to especially call this statement to the 

 .ittention of shrewd buyers who can readily read from such facts, 

 and from the general slmtting down policy and growing scarcity of 

 stocks, that an upward rather than a further downward movement 

 in prices is the only logical outcome. If there was ever a time when 

 Hardwood Record seriously cautioned buyers to "buy now,'' that 

 time is the present. 



Labor Costs and Selling Prices 



FOR SOME TIME I'.VST HardvvcKid Rcc-nrd lias bi'cn compiling an 

 analysis of production costs as a basis of comparison with cur 

 rent market values on hardwoods for the purpose of illustrating its 

 contention that hardwood lumber is today a good buy. It is there- 

 fore an especial pleasure to publish in this issue such an analysis 

 covering lower Michigan operations based on official figures com- 

 piled by the Michigan llardw'ond Manufacturers' Association operat 

 ing precisely on the lines followed by Hardwood Record. Based on 

 cost records taken from the books or a large percentage of lower 

 Michigan production, and taking as a basis of selling prices actual 

 figures received for typical sales, this luialysis shows a tangible 

 loss of $7.15 per thousand feet on Michigan hardwoods as of May 1. 

 Those who are prone to belittle statements that lumber is being 

 sold at less than cost, and that it is still above pre-war prices, are 

 evidently forgetful of the substantially higher level of wages and 

 generally lessened efficiency even in spite of present unemployment. 

 The human machine is just like any other machine — when it gets 

 running out of true it takes a complete overhauling and consider- 

 able readjustment before it gets back to the old smooth basis. So 

 ivith labor. The habit of soldiering brought on by the war and its 

 ::ttendant conditions has not yet been overcome. It is gradually 

 being eradicated, but the return of complete efficiency is of neces- 

 sity gradual. Therefore labor's share in current costs as compared 

 to ]irovious costs is higher. Then, too, there is the ever-iuercasiug 



Famine and Deforestation 



AMU.ST AKKKSTI.XC AM) PKHSLASIVE argument for the 

 conservation of America "s forest resources was presented by 

 the V. S. Department of Agriculture in a bulletin issued May 1. 

 This bulletin discussed the famine in China, which in the past year 

 has ap[ialled all in this country who have read of the millions of 

 Mongolians who are dying under the most pitiful and horrifying 

 circumstances because of it. This colossal disaster and similar floods 

 and famines that have frequently beset the (Miini\se are attributed 

 to deforestation of vast areas of the lands inhabited by this 

 unhappy people. 



This disclosure is calculated to stimulate thought. It is time 

 to think when we consider that somewhat similar conditions might 

 some day develop in our own land. Of course, no one supposes 

 fliat we in America are going to be as near-sighted as the Chinese, 

 who invented gunpowder and printing and set up a glorious cul- 

 ture, while the western peoples were still running through the 

 woods in bear skins, and then rested on their laurels. But it is 

 possiljle that if we should refuse to take reforestation and con- 

 servation seriously, large sections of our country might eventually 

 become much less desirable for habitation than at the present day. 



From this point we should reflect that the pojuilation of the 

 United States is growing at such a rapid gait that it is the greatest 

 blindness to neglect anything essential to the preservation of the 

 habitabilit.y of all our lands. We shall need more and more 

 habitable land every day .-inil must not only allow none to deterio- 

 r.-ite, but should reclaim waste land wherever practicable ,ind' 

 increase the fertility of all present arable areas. 



In all this the preservation of our forest resources Jilays an 

 indispensable part, and one that can not be neglected. 



The need for this is important, aside from the relative merits or 

 denu'rits of the Capper and Snell bills. 



Table of Contents 



REVIEW AND OUTLOOK: 



General Market Conditions. 

 l^abor Costs and Selling Prices 

 Famine and Deforestation 



.17-18 

 ...18 

 .18 



SPECIAL ARTICLES: 



Standardization of Dimension Stock 22-23 & S3 



The Home Building Council 23 & 24 



Proposed National Hardwood Rules Changes 24 & 25 



Getting Accurate Costs 26 & 27 



Schulz Reviews Business Conditions 31 & 42 



Glues and Their Resistance to Steam 32 



Startling Figures on Cost of Lumber 48 



Transportation Problems of Today 50-51 & 52 



POWER LOGGING AND LUMBER HANDLING: 



The "Caterpillar*' Trailer 28 & 29 



NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITAL: 

 Miscellaneous 



.30 & 47 



CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS: 



Miscellaneous 54-55 



Appalachian Loggers Hold Congress 19-21 



Alluvial Empire Builders Meet Zl 



Stoppage of Northern Hardwood Output in Sight 29 



HARDWOOD NEWS r. 56-60 



HARDWOOD MARKET 60-63 



CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS 66-68 



HARDWOODS FOR SALE 69-70 & 72 



ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY 65 



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