June .10. llt'-'l 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



17 



National Favors a Sales Code 



Hot Debate During Closing Hours of Twenty-Fourth Annual Convention of 



National Hardwood Lumber Association Results in Vote for Code; 



Rules Changes are Adopted; Officers are Re-elected and 



Snell and Capper Bills are Opposed 



The cloifing hours of the twenty fourtli aiimial convoution of the 

 Isational Hardwood Lumber Assoiiatiou, which was held in Phila- 

 delphia, I'a., at the BellevueStratford Hotel, June 9 and 10, re- 

 sulted in most important action, which will probably give this meet- 

 ing a position of more than ordinary importance in the association's 

 ehroniclcs. 



By a vote of 158 to 104 the nunibers went on record as favoring 

 the adoption of a sales code, and a motion was carried referring the 

 code matter to the president, autliorizing him to appoint a committee 

 of five to consider the entire question and report with recommenda- 

 tions to the next convention. 



The vote on the advisability of a code concluded the biggest fight 

 of the convention, which was waged in vigorous debate for more 

 than an hour. The debate was precipitated upon the placing before 

 the convention of the sales code proposed by the Lumbermen's Club 

 of Memphis. But while the issue was at first joined over the question 

 of the Memphis code, the vote was finally taken on the question of 

 the advisability of the adoption of '"a sales code." During the 

 course of the delivery of numerous speeches for and against a code, 

 much confusion developed as to the motion, i. e., whether the Memphis 

 code, or " a code, ' ' was up for vote. During this period of forensic 

 discussion, Horace F. Taylor, of Buffalo, New York, President, 

 ruled with impartiality and in a most affable manner. The northern 

 and eastern opponents of the code were much surprised at the out- 

 come of the vote, while the Memphis backers were more than grati- 

 fied. The motion to refer the question to the president was intro- 

 duced by M. M. Wall, of Buffalo. 



The committee which considered the Memphis code and reported 

 it back to the convention consisted of W. C. Hull, Hugh McLean, 



W. E. Chamberlain, S. C. Meiigel and George C. Goodfellow. 



Earl Palmer, of Memphis, initiated the debate with a motion that 

 it be declared the sense of the members present that they favor the 

 adoption of a sales code. In making his motion, Mr. Palmer paid 

 an eloquent tribute to the work which had been done by the com- 

 mittee of Memphis lumbermen in working up the code, and took 

 this occasion to urge upon the membership the necessity of en- 

 couraging the infi'sion of young blood into the active management of 

 the association's affairs. Otis A. Felger seconded Mr. Palmer's 

 motion and talks in support of it were made by John H. Hines, C. V. 

 McCreight, George C. Ehemann, Joe Thompson, J. II. Maassen and 

 others. J. H. Dion, J. V. Stimson, M. M. Wall, Emil Guenther and 

 John M. Woods spoke in opposition to the motion. 



Adopt Bulk of Proposed Rules Changes 



The next most important action was the adoption of the changes 

 in the Inspection Rules proposed by the Inspection Rules Committee 

 in its annual report, with the exception of tho.se dealing with 

 cypress. This section of the proposed changes was ruled out. 



President Taylor, John W. McCIure, first vice-president and the 

 other ofScers were re elected lunid a most enthusiastic demonstra- 

 tion. 



Besides these important matters the concluding session of the 

 convention on the afternoon of June 10 was marked by the adoption 

 of a resolution demanding "a general reduction in (railroad freight) 

 rates, not alone on lumber, but on all commodities." This resolu- 

 tion follows: 



"Whereas the Interstate Commerce Commission's grant of higher 

 rates to railroads last August was based on tlio calculation that 

 enough additional revenue would be derived therefrom to meet the 

 twenty five percent increase in wages and to cover the six percent 



Horace F. Taylor of Buffalo, N. Y., 

 Re-elected President 



Frank F. Fish of Chicago, 

 Secretary-Treasurer 



John W. McCIure of Memphis, Re-elected 

 First Vice-President 



