May 10. 1921 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



47 



HARDWOOD LUMBER 



THIRTEEN BAND MILLS 

 SIX PLANING MILLS 

 ELEVEN FLOORING UNITS 

 NINE DIMENSION MILLS 



Annual Capacity 

 130,000,000 Feet 



The Way to Resume Is to Resume 



Few topics liavc been so witlcssly discussed as 

 tliose liaving to do with iiosl-war conditions, indus- 

 trial resumption and price re-adjustinenls. 



Every theory, idea and ism, however absurd, 

 ridiculous and impossible, seemingly has found ex- 

 ponents, who have had only too ready an access to 

 the channels of printed communication. 



Communism, socialism, syndicalism, bolshevism in 

 their purity and in every range of mixture, and by 

 every device of camouflage have been served to the 

 public. 



The principal achievement registered has been ex- 

 pensive, hurtful, unnecessary delay. 



One has waited for one thing, and another for 

 another, the result being that few or none have got 

 what they waited for — the effect usually being that 



where one waited, he enforced a wait upon others. 



Where one wheel is not turning, usually the whole 

 machine is at a standstill. 



If everyone waits for everything to get just right, 

 all will wait forever. 



Full activity upon a full progran; with full con- 

 fidence that all will come out well, is the route by 

 which to secure the surest, quickest return to com- 

 plete normality. 



The way to get others to resume is to resume 

 ourselves. 



Such is our policy; and we are aiding all our cus- 

 tomers in this course by superior jjroducts. efficient 

 service, and a genuine interest always in tilling their 

 requirements. 



W. M. RiTTER Lumber Co. 



COLUMBUS, OHIO 



News from the National Capital 



I (.'oiitiimed pom page 'AD ) 

 nevertheless, certain that there is now sufKeient transportation by 

 water and ample indication that it will develop further and in- 

 crease, to warrant the belief that within a comparatively short 

 time it will reach a point where it will be felt in a serious loss of 

 tonnage by the rail lines, unless they have available appropriate 

 measures to meet the situation. There is not that strife and rivalry 

 that formerly characterized the eo-existenee of these two modes 

 of transportation to and from the Pacific Coast, but as between 

 these separate sets of carriers there is that natural and well 

 grounded fear of each other's ascendency and power, sufficient, 

 especially in view of the existing movement by water, to warrant 

 a finding- that there is actual competition at the present time. 

 Knergctic business competitors in tlieir present struggle for suc- 

 cess always look beyond the present and are justified in keeping 

 themselves fortified against each other's activities, even before 

 the situation becomes serious. It is mainly for these reasons that 

 the commodity rates have been held to their present level and 

 largely for these reasons that the carriers .ur nnw djiposing a dis- 

 turbance of the present adjustment." 



Congressman Kelly, of Pennsylvania, has reintroduced in the 

 House his standard jirice bill, under which independent manufiic- 

 turers would be allowed to fix the prices at which their products 

 would be sold in all markets. Hearings have been held on this 

 bill by the Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committees of the 

 House, and Congressman Kelly will attempt to push the measure 

 through to final enactment in the present session of Congress. 



The purpose of the bill, according to Mjr. Kelly, is "to give the 

 independent manufacturer with an identified jiroduct, the right 

 to file his trade-mark or brand with the Federal Trade Commission 

 as well as his price for the sale to the wliiilcsaliT ami retailer.'' 



On such tiling, lie would have the right to maintain the price of 

 his article. "If any person feels aggrieved, that price is too 

 his article. ' ' If any person feels aggrieved, that the price is too 

 to the Federal Trade Commission. The Federal Trade Commission 

 may revoke the right to fix prices, but may not fix tlie price 

 itself." 



This would guarantee fair and reasonable prices all down the 

 line, Kepresentative Kelly feels, which will protect the consumer. 

 Protection against profiteering will come through the fact that 

 when the price is fixed, the articles may never be sold iit more 

 than one standard price. A way is provided for disposing of goods 

 by the dealer who may be going out of business, and who may wish 

 to conduct a s.ilc .It l(i\v [iriccs. He may first offer them back to 

 the maker at the jirices he paid for them. If the maker wishes, 

 he may buy them back. If he declines, they may be sold at any 

 price. 



The bill, of i-mirse, uiiul.l ajiply only to goods in interstate coin- 

 iiLcree. A siiiiil;ir law is in efl'ect in Oregon, .and most of the 

 Kuropean countries have such legislation and it has worked out 

 most satisfactorily, according to Representative Kelly. 



The practice of giving .in unlimited guarantee against declines 

 In prices was opposed by Walter Parsons, general sales manager 

 of the Borden Condensed Milk Company before the Federal Trade 

 Commission. The Borden Company and 48 other milk condensing 

 companies intervened in the formal complaint of the Federal Trade 

 Commission against the Helvetia Milk Condensing Company. 



With the exception of the Helvetia, which is opposed to any 

 limitation in the use of the practice of guaranteeing against price 

 declines, .ill the other comjianies favor its application to a limited 

 extent. 



It is their contention, as expressed by Mr. Parsons, that, without 

 iiiiy guarantee against price declines, jobbers will not carry suftl- 

 cicnt stocks to meet the ilemands of customers. 



