22 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



November 25. 1918 



During the allied drive, which began at Chateau Thierry and ended 

 in the surrender of Germany, it was known in this country that ex- 

 traordinary efforts wore made to switch labor to war work from those 

 industries which could be cut down for the time being. Judge 

 Parker told why the groat switch of labor was made at that time. 

 Cable followed cable from General Pershing calling for more mimi- 

 tions, and more, and still more. American guns were firing more 

 shells than they were receiving and supplies were running low. Finally, 

 only two weeks before the signing of the armistice. General Pershing 

 cabled that unless shipments of munitions were increased, the offensive 

 would have to 8top. It was under such a call that the shifting of 

 labor was proceeding so desperately in this country. 



TuitN IN THE Tide 



After relating these and other incidents of the war, as affecting 

 war work in this country, Judge Parker took up peace problems in 

 which lumbermen are greatly concerned, and spoke of prospects and 

 the policies which should be followed in changing from war work to 

 peace. 



It seemed to be expected by a large number of those in attendance 

 on the meeting that the speaker would have a message of a somewhat 

 official nature from the government on the subject of fixing prices of 

 lumber, or setting a maximum price within which lumbermen must 

 sell their product. In view of the expectancy with which those pres- 

 ent waited for some expression by the speaker on that topic, he was 

 listened to with rapt attention when he stated that government regu- 

 lation of lumber prices would continue but a few days or a few weeks 

 more, and after that no further prices would be made by the govern 

 ment. Supply and demand ^^ill again govern, and the field will be 

 open. 



The applause which greeted that announcement was evidence tliat 

 it was what the lumbermen wished to hear. 



Judge Parker emphasized what Mr. Reynolds had said concerning 

 the transition period from war conditions to those of peace. He 

 advised caution and patience, giving time for certain adjustments; 

 and beyond that he could see no cause for worry or alarm in the out- 

 look. Business is anxious to get under headway in channels of peace, 

 and it is already doing so. Building permits began picking up as 

 soon as the armistice was signed. The war material which is in gov- 

 ernment hands, but which is not immediately needed for war pur- 

 poses, will not be sold. It will not be thrown on the market in this 

 somewhat uncertain time, to disorganize and confuse, but will be held 

 and wUl later be used by the government as it is needed. 



That statement was listened to with satisfaction by those present, 

 for the specter of very large stores and stocks being dumped by the 

 government on the market had been present more or less with lumber- 

 men since the close of the war. 



Judge Parker listed a number of channels through which lumber 

 might be expected to move into ultimate markets; one is the railroads, 

 which have done little construction work during the past four years 

 and are in need of lumber and timber in large amounts. 



Lumbermen were advised to act as a unit in supplying lumber for 

 export. The prospect of ships for carrying exports was not pictured 

 as altogether rosy, the chance being that the shortage of ships will 

 continue a long time. The lumbermen were further advised against 

 a policy of curtailment of lumber output. In view of the labor situa- 

 tion and other conditions there is little likelihood that too mueli 

 lumber will be sawed in the near future. 



Resolutions Committee 



A resolutions committee consisting of about forty members was 

 made uj) from those attending the meeting. The committee was not 

 appointed by the chaii', but it came into being under an arrangement 

 that each regional association affiliated with the National Lumber 

 Manufacturers' Association might apjioiut not more than five mem- 

 bers. A sentiment quickly developed that tliis arrangement was not 

 broad enough to represent the whole meeting. Addition after addi- 

 tion was made until every association or organization present, whether 

 connected with the National association or not, was given representa- 

 tion on the resolutions committee. It was as democratic a committee as 

 ' ever represented any phase of the lumber business ; and J. J. Donavan 



of Seattle, Wash., was appointed chairman. Twenty-three organi- 

 • zations were represented on the committee. 



It was expected that this committee would give voice to the mass 

 meeting and embody in a set of resolutions the conclusions reached. 

 In a word, it was intended that the committee sliould tell the country 

 why the meeting had been called together, what its purpose was, and 

 what policy will be followed. The committee was sent to its labors 

 at noon on November 21 and did not report the result of its labor till 

 twenty-four hours later. 



General Discussio.v 



During the afternoon of Friday a general discussion took place 

 during which a number of persons spoke briefly on various phases 

 and prospects of the lumber industry. Among others, Henry M. Pope 

 of Fort Worth, Texas, president of the American Farmers' Federa- 

 tion, read a paper which required less than one minute in the reading, 

 and said it was a statement of what farmers want, if the lumbermen 

 want to do anything to help the farmers. The paper was as follows: 



The American farmers want representation on wage boards where we 

 foot the bill, or any eonsiilerable portion of it. We arc opposed to capital 

 and labor increasing expenses of industr.v and sending us the l)ill. We 

 consider eight hours per da.v in the factory and fourteen on the farm a 

 disrriniinatiun against the farmer. When peace conditions lower the price 

 (if the things we sell we want the price of the things we buy also lowered. 



A retailer from Ohio stated that the retailers want longer credits 

 when buying the lumber which they sell again. He said they sell on 

 credits ranging from sixty days to ten years, and they must have 

 better terms when they buy, or they cannot make ends meet. 



W. L. Sike, Utica, N. Y., president of the Emporium Lumber Com- 

 pany and the Grass Valley Railroad, suggested some arrangement by 

 which railroads could be made to pay what crossties are worth, or 

 else not get any. 



R. A. Long, Kansas City, uttered a solemn warning against lower- 

 ing the price of lumber. He declared that it could not be sold for 

 less than at present so long as wages remain as they are, and he made 

 no suggestion that wages be lowered. 



General Boyle gave an account of his work in Washington, as attor- 

 ney for the National Lumlier Manufacturers' Association, in com- 

 bating what he considered iniquitous tax measures, affecting lumber- 

 men, in the tax measure now before Congress. He believed that his 

 efforts would not prove unsuccessful. 



Charles A. Keith of Kansas City read a statistical paper sliowing 

 the status of lumber in southern yards, and the prospects for future 

 business. He made the statement that more orders for southern pine 

 are on the books, or could be placed there, than there is lumber on 

 earth at this time. He was able to see much jiromise for lumbermen 

 in the future. 



Report by Bo.\kd of Directors 



The board of directors of the National Lumber Manufacturers' As- 

 sociation was in attendance on the mass meeting and took advantage 

 of the occasion to hold a meeting of its own which was of great im- 

 portance to that association. The purpose of the meeting was to pro- 

 vide for raising more revenue to carry on and enlarge the work of the 

 association. A schedule for gradual increase of assessments was 

 before the board. It proposed to start from three-fourths of a cent 

 per 1,000 feet of lumber cut, and gradually increase it till the sum 

 reached one and a half cents. A compromise was made and an assess- 

 ment of one cent was fixed. 



Reconstruction Problems 



An address by Harry A. Wlieeler, president of the Chamber of 

 Commerce of the United States, dealt with reconstruction work in its 

 broad aspect without entering much into particulars. He advocated 

 the appointment of an American delegate at the peace conference 

 whose special duty it should be to look after reconstruction matters, 

 or questions of trade, business, and industry following the war. Trans- 

 jiortation will occupy an important place and it should be given care- 

 ful attention. Another matter calling for patience and pains will be 

 the direction of labor from war channels into "those of peace. 



Mr. Wheeler called attention to the conference which will be held 

 at Atlantic City December 3, 4 and 5, under the auspices of the Na- 

 tional Chamber of Commerce, and which will be attended by from 

 4,500 to (i,000 delegates from all fields of business. The conference 



