.M:.\ -J- l!i:!l 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



2\ 



Efficient Distribution Is Vital 



I I uiihnin <l lioiii I. ,1,1, IM 



III hij aiimuil aililrcss I'li'siik'nt Hiirtmi lU'Vutcd ciinsiilcraMc 

 attention to a review of the acconiiilishniciits of the assticiatioii 

 during its year of existence, one of which was the building up of 

 membership to over three hundred from a charter membership of 

 103. He mentioned the adoption of the association's "Code of 

 Ethics"' as something "of wliich we are proud.'' Cliiclly, Imiwcvit, 

 he found reason for congratulation in the ado])ti<)n of a coMipnl.<:irv 

 arbitration agreement by tlie members, the successful operation of 

 the arbitration department and the advance made tow.ird inter- 

 association arbitration. "I believe I am safe in saying that we 

 have gone further and made greater progress with this ])aniiular 

 feature of association work and have accomplished more than any 

 other lumber association in existence," Mr. Burton said. "Our 

 arbitration decisions are pulilished to our members as fast as riii 

 dereil and many are made |iublic through the mediinii id' Irailc Join 

 nals. These decisions are rendered after taking dae cogaizaaii- 

 both of the legal rights of tlie parties as well as customs of the 

 trad?. (Settlements have been made in accordance with the decisions 

 without e.xeeptions and in many cases we have received written 

 approval from both jiarties to the issue." 



Arbitration the Keynote 



This discussion of arbitration, opened by ilr. Burton, became the 

 keynote of the 'convention. Franklin D. Jones of the Washington, 

 D. C, law firm of Davies & Jones, delivered a stirring address on 

 "Arbitration" and this was followed by the report of the arbitra- 

 tion committee, delivered Ijy Dwight Hinckley of the Dwight 

 Hinckley Lumber Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, chairnum. Mr. Hinck 

 ley reported the entire success of the arbitration |ilaii. He said 

 that during the year 19'2 cases have been submitted to arbitration, 

 out of wliich 128 had been disposed of and Hi were pending. 



Mr. Jones was most enthusiastic about arbitration. "Arbitra- 

 tion is the friendly way of settling disputes," he said, "and law- 

 suits constitute the quantity method of producing ill will. Arbitra- 

 tion tends to crystallize trade customs. Arbitration pays in dollars 

 and cents. It attracts business to members of an association vv^herc 

 arbitration of trade disputes is compulsory. It gives the buyer 

 confidence in the seller." Sentiment for arbitration is sweeping 

 the country. 



Any successful system of arbitration of trade differences must 

 have the following three basic principles, Mr. .Tones said: 



First. Arbitration shall be compulsory — any which is not is of 

 nil great value. This convinces the retailer of the count ry that 

 III- is guaranteed a square deal if he docs business with members 

 iif this association. 



Second. Recognition in all arbitration proceedings of established 

 joinciples of law. This is funilamcntal to the success of such a 

 system, as all business is transacted on the basis of civil laws di- 

 veloped from the experience of many generations. If an arbitration 

 bureau is to survive, those who submit their ditTerences to it nmst 

 have the assurance that Iheir legal rights will be protecteil. How- 

 ever, .adheremi- til this requisite is unusmil in trade association 

 arbitration and the A. W. h. A. is one of the very few that does 

 it. Every ease is submitted to the counsel of the association for 

 advice on the legal pcnnts. Counsel returns the case with its state- 

 iiiiiit, which is not an opinion, but merely an interpretation of legal 

 piiiats involved, and is similar to a juilge's charge to a .jury. 



Third. All [iroceedings nmst be absolutely fair. Pursuing this 

 idea it has been the policy of the A. W. L. A.'s arbitration com- 

 mittee to give the non-member of the association the benefit of the 

 doubt where it was necessary to make such dose decisions. 



Mr. Hinckley introduced a motion to put the association on 

 recoi-d as favoring inter-association arbitration and authorizing the 

 president to' appoint a committee of one to fornmlate rules and 

 regulations covering inter-association arbitration. The association 

 has already made much progress in the way of inter-association 

 arbitration' and expects to spend considerable effort to progress in 

 this direction. 



Recommend Uniform Order B'ank 



Fnlldwiiig :i report on tlie uniform order blank, made by W. L. 

 Whitacre, of the Whitacre Lumber Company, Columbus, ()., a 

 motion was carried recommending that the members use the blank 

 suggested by the committee, omitting the specification of terms of 

 sale and leaving that question up to each firm using the blank. 



Mr. Whitacre made the prediction that the wide use of the uni- 

 form order blank would jiracticallv (diminate need for arbitration. 



Woodhead on Inspection 



I:i ccncluding his report en inspection services, First Vice-Presi- 

 dent Ben S. Woodhead uttered the dictum that the inspection of all 

 lumber should be under the jurisdiction of some such body as the 



iCiititiniltil on itni/r 2.' I 



J. H. Burton, Re-elected President 



Ben. S. Woodhead, Re-elected First Vice-President 



L. R. Putman, Managing Director 



