20 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



November 10. 1921 



assigned to it, and it is quite apparent, from the letter sent out 

 and from the statement of Mr. Palmer, that it proposes to make the 

 code as comprehensive as possible. 



The letter mailed to the organizations believed to l)e interested 

 in a sales code follows: 



This comniittee. the names of the members of which appear in the head- 

 ing of this sheet, was authorized by the membership of the National Hard- 

 wood Lumber Association at the latest meeting of that organization and 

 was appointed by the president thereof. The function of this committee, 

 as understood by its members, is to develop a sales code that shall be of 

 assistance and mutual benefit to both the seller and buyer in trausactious 

 involving the sale and purchase, in a wholesale manner, of hardwood 

 lumber. 



This committee has given careful consideration to the difficulties sur- 

 rounding a proper discharge of the duties imposed upon it and has arrived 

 at the following conclusions : 



1^ — -That any such code in order to be effective must express the approved 

 customs that already prevail in a majority of transactions involving the 

 sale and purchase of hardwood lumber, and must have the assured support 

 of not less than a majority of those who are engaged in such transactions. 



2 — That all regulatory measures, whether assumed by agreement or 

 imposed by statute, have their source in custom. No regulation can possess 

 an impelling force unless it embodies a custom create<I by men in the dis- 

 charge of their ordinary vocations. 



3 — That it is therefore essential for this committee to determine what 

 customs are largely recognized, accepted and acted upon by a majority of 

 those who carry on dealings in a wholesale manner in hardwood lumber 

 relating to terms of sale and purchase of that conmiodity. 



4 — When this is accomplished, it will he the further duty of this com- 

 mittee to reduce these customs to concrete expression in the form of a 

 sales code which shall be practicable, usable and satisfactory to all who 

 sell or buy hardwood lumber in a wholesale way, and submit the same to 

 the membership of the National Hardwood Lumber Association at the next 



annual meeting of tnar organization for such action as that membership 

 may see fit to take. 



It is obvious that, in order for this committee to obtain a sufficient 

 amount of information from which to construct such a code, it must advise 

 with all branches of tbe trade and with wholesale consumers of hardwood 

 lumber, to the end that the results of its efforts be not of an exparte 

 nature, but that they be composite in quality, reflecting both sides of the 

 picture. 



It is a practical impossibility for this committee to come in personal 

 contact with all the individuals who make up the essential classifications 

 enumerated above for the purpose of learning the views of each upon what 

 should or should not enter into a sales code. The committee has, there- 

 fore, decided to seek the information which it requires from the various 

 local lumber clubs and other trade organizations whose memberships are 

 made up of individuals who from the nature of their business may reason- 

 ably be expecteti to have an interest in the unification of trade practices 

 relating to the sale and purchase of hardwood lumber. 



It is with the above purpose in view that this communication is 

 addressed to you. Will you, at your early convenience, take this question 

 up with the members of the (name of organization addressed) and obtain 

 from them definite and constructive suggestions upon the formation of a 

 sales code and. when a response is received from them, submit to this 

 committee the conclusions at which your organization has arrivetl concern- 

 ing the matter? 



The sales code committee was appointed by President Tiiylor at 

 the last annual of the National association, following decision of 

 that body in favor of "a" sales code. Readers of Hardwoop 

 Record are doubtless familiar with the fact that this decision was 

 reached in lieu of the adoption of **the*' sales code submitted by 

 the sales code committee of the Lumbermen's Club of Memphis. 



The last named organization, which fathered the code submitted 

 at the last annual, has two members of the committee named by 

 President Taylor in the ])ersons of Mr. Palmer and Mr. Maassen. 



Northern Shipments Increase 



(I'finltnui tl jruiii iiiit/r l.'i) 



aeter of timber and land in Wisconsin and Michigan, the difficulty 

 of determining whether a given tract of land is agricultural or 

 "waste" land, the involved taxation problem, makes the whole 

 subject a most difficult one. "It is a grave mistake for any one in 

 this region, charged with the stewardship of a minimum of a ten- 

 year timber supply to ignore the problems of forestry management," 

 Mr. Goodman stated. "Forestry is not a quiesent, but an active 

 thing; it can not be ignored. The timber operator who goes in and 

 cuts down trees with nothing to guide him but the limited topograph- 

 ical survey made by a woods foreman, as most of us do, is neglecting 

 a very important part of his business. 



"I admit I do not hold a solution for this problem," he continued. 

 Then he suggested that an appointment be made with Chief Forester 

 Greeley to discuss with him the question of the management of their 

 timber holdings. 



Inspired by a statement by A. L. Osborn of Oshkosh, Wis., chair- 

 man of the Legislative Committee, of the railroad problem, then 

 most acute because of the imminence of a nation-wide strike, the 

 association adopted a resolution addressed to the President of the 

 United States disapproving any compromise in the dispute between 

 the railway employers and the unions. 



Osbom Flays Compromisers 



The compromise of the railroad controversy was condemned by 

 Mr. Osborn in the following characteristically vitrolic style: 



Our railroad labor board conceivPs it to be its duty to bring about a 

 compromise that will prevent a stril<e. If it is wisp and meet that coni- 

 promises shall always be effocteil with robbers who I)reak into our houses 

 to steal because they threaten to shoot if their robbery is not submitted 

 to gladly wc ought to compromise in this case, but if the sensible treat- 

 ment is to tell the burglar that holds a pistol that is not loaded, that there 

 can be no compromise, we should not treat with railroad labor on any 

 other basis than that it accept just such pay and just su^h working con- 



ditions as the average ordiniiry man has in all other of the large industries 

 and activities. The cowardice of those who think of the settlement of 

 the railroad proltlem without its being settled right and for all time is 

 inconceivable, and in view of the fact that the public fully understands 

 the situation and that sentiment is absolutely crystallized against railroad 

 labor, and in view of the fact that no strike could he made serious enougli 

 to <-ause any considerable amount of suffering or inconvenience, the pro- 

 posal to settle at this time without any further wage reduction, with the 

 national agreements in force, with the eight-hour day umhallenged and 

 with railroad labor at least 2.-t per cent higher on an average than any 

 other labor of like kind in the United States, compels one to believe that 

 courage antl manliness have gone forever from our high siM-vants in public 

 places. 



We may differ al>out the best wa.v to bring about a readjustment of 

 wages and operating costs of the railroads, but we cannot differ on this 

 lieing the day and the hour for courage to meet the challenge of tbn 

 unscrupulous, greedy and (tvergroVn organizations that have had the 

 public by the throat for the last three or four years. The fight can be 

 won hands down if it is made. If it is not made and a teinj)orlzing settle- 

 ment Is effected there will be no sure foundation for industrial peace and 

 prosperity. 



Our industry cannot l)e prosperous imtil the great farming industry 

 and the railroads are i>rnsperous. and there can be no prosperity anywhere 

 until the maladjustment I have treated of is corrected. There are, of 

 course, other unhappy and unfortunate business conditions to be met and 

 solved, but the railroad situation is giving more troul)ie. is more disturb- 

 ing and more demoralizing many times over than any other one. 



A large majority of tlie organizations attended the meetijig. 

 During the greater part of the morning session they listened witli 

 concentrated interest to Mr. Hines' narrative of liis travels in 

 Europe, during whicli he entered his second son in Christ Churcli 

 College, Oxford, and visited the spot on the Western Front where 

 liis eldest son, Lieut. Edward Hines, Jr.. fell in service. The mem- 

 bers applauded heartily when Mr. Hines told liow u|)on liis return 

 to America he was met at the gangplank of the ship on wliich he 

 arrived by a messenger from President Harding, advising that the 

 liospital over which there has been so much controvcr.sy had been 

 named by the President "Edward Hines, Jr., Hospit.al." 



