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HARDWOOD RECORD 



April 10. 1919 



cession in hardwood values, but taking the aggregate iiguvo, this 

 falling off has been so small as to bo practically imperceptible. As 

 a matter of fact the groat trouble with the market now is that 

 there is altogether too much uncertainty of values as when a man 

 begins to cut he has a long ways to go before he even approaches 

 figures that he used to get. Therefore, he feels safe in cutting in 

 big .lumps. On the other hand, prices have reached a sufficiently 

 high figure so that the man with the courage of his convictions 

 regarding supply and prices, maintains a relatively high level. 



A story came out of an important southern consuming section a 

 short time ago that pretty well illustrates the present hardwood 

 situation. A certain large furniture buyer was negotiating with 

 a salesman for the purchase of a large block of standard material. 

 It happened that this lumberman knew what his stuff cost him 

 and had no intention of shading his figures a nickle. He therefore 

 made his quotation and backed it up with an adequate sales talk 

 on quality. The buyer on the other hand naturally tried to do a 

 little better by suggesting low quotations he had received but 

 eventually conceded the excellence of this company's material and 

 placed the order at the price 

 asked. After the lumberman had 

 left the office, the furniture man 

 expressed himself as saying that 

 if the lumberman had asked $10 

 more for the same material he 

 would have been given the order. 



The big point that lumbermen 

 should keep before them today 

 is that no one blanket policy 

 can cover a whole list of pros- 

 pects. There was never before 

 a time when salesmanship was 

 so essential; when study of the 

 individual buyer's needs was 

 more likely to lead to profitable 

 results. The absolute require- 

 ment of conditions today is that 

 each sale be treated by itself as 

 an individual matter. If each 

 lumber salesman would precede 

 each visit by reviewing in his 

 own mind his analysis of tlie 

 man he is about to talk to and 

 would formulate a special prop- 

 osition to fit the particular set 



of conditions he is apt to meet, he would cume out fifty per cent 

 better in his day's work. 



A well posted salesman will know exactly what his customer 

 uses or can use;, will be conversant with conditions of supply, 

 shipping and prices on that particular material, and will review 

 those conditions to himself before going in to make a call so that 

 when he gets inside and talks to his customers he will have the 

 whole situation clearly in mind. 



Every salesman going out today to sell lumber should have con- 

 stantly in his mind the impression of the strong position he is in, 

 and should make his approach reflect the confidence which he is 

 entirely justified in feeling. If every salesman would approach 

 his prospects in this way there would be no question of the posi- 

 tion or the future of hardwood stocks. 



You Should Attend the Lumber Congress 



LUMBERMEN FREQUENTLY COMPLAIN that they have dif- 

 ficulty in accomplishing big results in matters of national trade 

 importance because of the diverse interests and scattered factions 

 represented within the industry. The American Lumber Congress 

 to be held at Chicago this month is the one big opportunity before 

 the lumber trade for establishing a national voice. The congress 

 is called for a specific purpose. The trade is confronted wdtli 

 problems of weighty importance which can be solved only through 



EVERYONE INVITED TO ATTEND BIG 

 LUMBER CONGRESS 



Never before was the lumber industry confronted with so 

 many big problems of vital interest to every member. The 

 American Lumber Congress and the annual convention of 

 the National Lumber Manufacturers' Association to be held 

 at the Congress hotel, Chicago, April 14-17, are both de- 

 signed primarily to bring out a discussion and solution of 

 these big problems. Everything points to a record-breaking 

 attendance and accomplishment. It is emphasized by Wilson 

 Compton, secretary-manager of the National Lumber Manu- 

 facturers' Association, that even though the association can 

 not hope to get in touch with every member of the trade, it 

 is urged that all members be present at these tremendously 

 important gatherings, the effect of which will un^joubtedly 

 be epochal in lumber history. Hardwood Record in fact has 

 been requested to extend this direct invitation in behalf of 

 the Natonal Lumber Manufacturers' Association. 



YOU HELP MAKE LUMBER HISTORY AT CHICAGO, 

 APRIL 14-17 



complete discussion and action nationally significant, if not nation- 

 ally binding. 



This congress is the opportunity the lumber trade has for ex- 

 pressing its wishes in a concerted manner. It is neither a mere 

 lumber convention nor a gathering engineered by factional politics. 

 It is rather a spontaneously created council chamber for the in- 

 dustry made possible by men big enough to see the absolute neces- 

 sity for a national lumber voice. 



Lumbermen have complained that their business has never been 

 given the recognition deserving of the third largest of America's 

 industries. The reason this recognition has not come about is be- 

 cause the demand for it has been individual and not united. Lum- 

 bermen can appreciate the importance of their own industry but 

 their force as individuals has never been sufficiently concentrated 

 so that it might impress itself as a single force upon the country 

 at large. The things needed by the lumber industry can be accom- 

 plished only when the people and the government realize and recog- 

 nize the overwhelming importance of this business. This recogni- 

 tion can conic only wlipu the real proportions of the business are 



plainly reflected from an united 

 body. 



The lumber congress gives 

 this opportunity for united rep- 

 resentation of America's third 

 largest industry before the coun- 

 try as a whole. Prominent gov- 

 ernment officials will participate 

 in the program and that they 

 may carry back with them a 

 proper appreciation of what the 

 industry really is, lumbermen 

 must show themselves united 

 and forceful. 



An idea of the importance at- 

 tached to the congress by the 

 government can be gained by the 

 fact that such national charac- 

 ters as Walker D. Hines, director 

 general of railroads; Henry 

 Solon Graves, chief forester; 

 William B. Colver, chairman, 

 federal trade commission, appear 

 on the program. Their addresses 

 will be on nationally important 

 subjects. The discussion of sta- 

 bilizing lumber values is something which every lumberman should 

 have a voice in. The congress will offer this opportunity. 



A Practical Workmen's School 



DURING MANY YEARS the shingle saws in British Columbia 

 mills have been operated by Hindus or other orientals. It had 

 come to be almost an unwritten law that no other kind of workman 

 should run a shingle machine, and the orientals gradualy came to be- 

 lieve that those particular jobs belonged to them. 



A slump came in the shingle business and the proprietors of the 

 British Columbia mills found it necessary to reduce the wages of the 

 shingle sawyers. When that announcement was made, the Hindus 

 threw up their jobs and quit, and the mills were left without sawyers. 

 It was then learned that there were no white men prepared to take 

 the vacant places. The operation of a shingle machine is not very 

 difficult, but it requires some training and instruction. 



There being no white workmen on hand ready for the jobs, it has 

 become necessary to establish schools to give the necessary training. 

 Candidates for the jobs are given a course under competent instruc- 

 tors. 



This is somewhat new in the vocational training field. Schools are 

 numerous enough which give vocational training, but it is unusual 

 for a man to undertake preparation for a particular job, while the 

 job waits for him. It is proving successful in the shingle business. 



