14 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



September 10, 1921 



of the Soiitlicrn liiirdwood producing capacity is inactive. In tlie 

 North a wliglitly larger percentage of sawmill equipment is still 

 running, though on short supplies of logs, which soon will be 

 exhausted. In the spring H.\RDWood Becord predicted that by 

 the lirst of July seventy-five per cent of the hardwood lumber to be 

 made this year would have been manufactured. That prediction 

 held substantially true, and it is safe further to predict that by 

 the end of September practically all of the hardwood lumber to 

 be made this year will have gone through the mills. In the mean- 

 time, with the production of new stocks practically at a standstill, 

 the gradual shipments, even though meager in some cases and 

 considerably below normal in others, are wearing away at the 

 excessive stocks. Ju.st by way of graphic illustration it might 

 not be amiss to state the situation in figures. Present mill stocks 

 arc probably not more than 100 per cent of what was formerly 

 considered normal. Shipments on the other hand might be assumed 

 to be sixty ])er cent of normal. Were everything working smoothly 

 and normally it would take an average of about six mouths to turn 

 over a mill stock. Thus at the current rate of shipments, the entire 

 available stock would be exhausted, providing current plans for 

 almost total curtailment were not altered, within nine or ten 

 months. This, of course, is a theoretical deduction, but is based 

 on conditions that are actually existent. One observation which 

 may be gained from a survey of this situation is that the future 

 of the hardwood movement will not depend so much upon the rel.a- 

 tion between production and shipments as it will upon such im- 

 provements in the financial strength behind present holdings as 

 may develop. Thus evidence of gradual, though apparently real 

 improvement of financial conditions in general and such special- 

 ized movement as is likely to be brought alioiit tlii-dUKh liottcrnient 

 in cotton conditions, are noteworthy. 



HAUDWoot) Recoud is still entirely of the opinion that the 

 remainder of this year and the early months of next will be given 

 over largely to the rebuilding of foundations for new business 

 jirosperity without those visible signs of progress which are more 

 discernil)le as the superstructure is erected. This period will likely 

 be marked by certain leveling in values with the constant tendency 

 to growing firmness in prices, which firmness will of course be eom- 

 batted with decreasing persistence by the offerings of those whose 

 financial position may now be, or may become, jeopardized. 

 Hakhwooi) Kecoiui further believes that it is not at all beyond 

 the realm of possibility, though by no means eert.ain of develop- 

 ment, that there may be distinct flurries in hardwood items follow- 

 ing changes in supplies and demands as they are shown to material- 

 ize with succeeding montlis. In other words, as frequently stated 

 before, the general movement will be gradual and for betterment 

 with the possibility that improvement in the hardwood lumber 

 situation may come abruptly, due to apparent betternu-nt in deiiKuid 

 and growing evidence of broken sujiplies. 



The War God Must Be Overturned 



WHEN SENATOK WILLIAM E. BORAH, the prophet of dis- 

 armament, declared that it "is the most vital problem in the 

 world today ' ' he did not exaggerate. 



It was singularly appropriate that the senator should have made 



this statement to the business men of the country through "The 

 Nation's Business," the jiublieity organ of the Chamber of Com- 

 merce of the United States. Disarmament is a problem which 

 should profoundly interest the business man, because it is largely 

 an economic one. During the three years since the conclusion of 

 the World War the business men of the country have been cease- 

 lessly harassed by the heavy burden of taxes which was acquired 

 through our participation in the war. They have wracked their 

 brains to discover some abracadabra, by the saying of which they 

 might lighten this load. But no such magic is to be found. All 

 their thinking has come to nothing, and they have accomplished 

 about as much as a squirrel chasing his tail in a revolving cage. 



Now disarmament offers a solution to the stubborn problem. 

 Business men could do nothing more worthy of men of their 

 responsibilities than to interest themselves in this question and see 

 that it does not suffer from indifference. Disarmament can only 

 be accomplished through a thoroughly aroused public opinion, not 

 onlv in this country, but in all other major nations, and American 

 business men will be doing a tremendous thing if they exert their 

 influence to bring about this favorable incitement of the public 

 mind. 



It is evident that the world's burden of government, which is 

 another way of saying taxation, would become only nominal were 

 the nations relieved from the necessity of going about armed to the 

 teeth. This is common sense that could not be more obvious. 

 Therefore, the inescapable answer is — " Disarm 1" It is civiliza- 

 tion's only hope of salvation. The logical conclusion of a con- 

 tinuation of modern armaments is the destruction of humanity, and 

 the giving over of this beautiful world to the lion and the jackal. 

 For the inevitable result of armaments is war. It has been so in 

 the past and it will continue so in the future. We have seen that 

 it takes only a spark to set a world afire and a few more burnings 

 such as we have just passed through and man 's race will be run. 



The Tragedy of High Rates on a Hand-bill 



A STAR WITNESS for the Southern Hardwood Traffic Associa- 

 tion in its fight before the Interstate Commerce Commission 

 for lower rates on hardwood lumber has come from Eunice, La., 

 through the mails. It consists of a hand-bill ujion which the Newell 

 Lumber Company, Ltd., announces that it will sell a half million 

 feet of inch oak lumber four to fourteen inches wide, for $7 per 

 wagon load. In order to excuse this ridiculous prodigality the 

 company explains that the lumber is offered at this figure because 

 of "excessive freight rates, which do not permit us to ship certain 

 grades of hardwood lumber to cousuming points." 



It is necessary to say very little more concerning this matter. 

 The whole tragedy of confiscatory freight rates is told in this hand- 

 bill, except that conditions are even worse at mill points where 

 there is not sufficient population to absorb any appreciable quan- 

 tity of lumber. At these places, and they are in the majority, the 

 lower grades must be burned or sold for cost, or less. Of course, 

 this can't go on. It is unbelievable that a reasoning body, such as 

 the Interstate Commerce Commission is presumed to be, can refuse 

 to lift »•) devastating a haniliea]! from a wortliy industry. 



Table of Contents 



REVIEW AND OUTLOOK: 



General Market Conditions 13-14 



The War God Must Be Overturned 14 



The Tragedy of High Rates on a Hand-Bill 14 



SPECIAL ARTICLES: 



A *'Hawk" in the Furniture Barnyard 15-16 & 21 & 24 



Association Cost Accounting Delimited 17-18 & 20 



The Manufacture and Seasoning of Oak 19-20 



Furniture Makers Are on Anxious Seat 24-2S 



Team Work •, 24 



A Puzzling Return s 23 



Classic Exhibits of Veneer As a Fine Art 35, 36 & 38 



NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITAL: 



Miscellaneous 25 



POWER LOGGING AND LUMBER HANDLING: 



Selection of a Motor Truck for Logging 22 



CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS: 



Miscellaneous 28-29 



HARDWOOD NEWS 31-34 & 55 



HARDWOOD MARKET 55-58 



CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS .- 60-62 



ADVERTISERS' DIRECTORY 59 



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