June 2"!, 1917 



<B yi;to^ii iKiroim!>^iw;.Hi>a>iti!s m^iWi^ 



On June 14, 1917, the National Hanlwootl i 

 Lumber Association assembled at Hotel Sher- 

 man, Chicago, for its twentieth annual meet- 

 ing. The registration of members showed that 

 the attendance was large. A complete list is 

 inserted in another part of this issue. At the 

 completion of the preliminary business con- 

 nected with the opening of the meeting and 

 the singing of the Star Spangled Banner, 

 President John M. Woods delivered the an- 

 nual address, as follows : 



President's Address 



As we come together for the twentieth auiiinil 

 meetins nf the National Hardwood Lumber As 

 sociation. I am sure all our hearts respond to the 

 words and sentiments that have so beautifnll.v 

 been sung. These emblems of great nations 

 above our heads speak to us more feelingl.v and 

 elo(|uentI.v than mortal tongues can express. The.v 

 tell the story of the union of the moral and mate- 

 rial forces of democrac.v against the arrogance 

 and ugliness of autocracy. The i^eace. liberty, 

 honor and prosperity of the wide world is at 

 stake. Our beloved countr.v has cast its lot, I 

 believe, on the side of right, honor and justice. 

 The great heart of our country has been stirred. 



We are a united people. I have an unbounded abiding faith in .\lmighty 

 God and American men, women and children. I have seen two great 

 uprisings, in 1861. when Sumter was tired on. Like a whirlwind, it swept 

 over the loyal North. It swept hill and i-alley. Cit.v and town responded, 

 "We are coming. Father .\braham, three hundred thousaud strong." It 

 was the tire of a mighty inner sentiment, kindled by the breath of God. 

 It was like Peter the Hermit, with clarion voice, bearing the heavy wooden 

 cross on his bent shoulders, transforndng Europe into a nioviug camp : or 

 like U(nleri<*k Dhu, marshalling his clans : 



From the grey sire whose trenddiug hand ' 



Could scarcely buckle on his brand. 



To the young boy whose arrow and bow 



Was scarce yet terror to the crow. 



Each valley, each setjuestered glen 



Mustered its little band <.»f men. , 



Again in ISOS, a uniteil nfttion rose in its might. Blue and gray, shoulder 

 to shouliler in the cause of a common humanity to rescue our neighbor, 

 Cuba, from the Spanish oppressor. Have no fear. The men of the nation, 

 old and young, will do their dut.v. and the women, God bless them I 



The bravest of battles that ever were fought 



Shall I tell you where and when? 



On the maps of the world you will, find them not. 



They were fought by the mothers of men. 



In politics, I am a staunch Republican, believing its principles and 

 policies are best for the whole nation, but when this flag is assailed, politics 



J. .M. WOODS. BOSTON. .MASS., PRESIDENT 



and partisanship go by the board and I stand 

 squarely and solidly for and with the President 

 and nation. This gathering of noble men needs 

 no lesson in patriotism from me. Everyone of 

 you Jove our flag ami country as much as I. and 

 I believe everyone of you feels as Hon. Henry 

 Winton Davis said in Congress at the beginning 

 of the Civil War, "The American people rising to 

 the heights of the occasion, dedicate this genera- 

 tion to the sword and pouring out the blood of 

 their children, demand that there be no com- 

 promise, that no peace shall be made, except 

 under the banner of victory : standing on this 

 ;;reat resolve, victory is ours." 



I shall not enter into the details of the work 

 nf the association the past year. The report of 

 the secretary-treasurer will show in detail the 

 accomplishments of the .vear and how we stand 

 rinaui'ially and numerically. I commend his able 

 anil complete report to your careful consideration. 

 The most important matter that will come be- 

 fore you. for your consideration and decision, is 

 the report of the inspection rules committee. In 

 the discussion of this report. I cannot improve on 

 the splendid advice given the association last year 

 by the present, very able chairnuiu of the com- 

 mittee on rules, Mr. McClure. He said. "We can- 

 not attach too much importance to the one main 

 proposition of getting an adjustment of our in- 

 s|)ection rules which will enable the entire hard- 

 wooil trade to get together on one uniform, national standard of inspection 

 which will do away with all confusion that has upset the trade in the 

 past. It does seem to me that in order to bring about this result, we 

 could drop all of our selHsh interests, all of our sectional interests and for- 

 get Mhether we are manufa<turers or wholesalers, in order to br'ng .aliout 

 this equilibrium in the trade as far as inspection rules are concerned : and 

 I hope that in discussing the matter, you will look at it from the national 

 standpoint for the good of the entire trade." 



May I supplement his recommendations with this suggestion. While we 

 may be tenacious of our own opinions, and believe they are right, let us 

 give credit to those who differ with us for the same honesty and sincerity 

 we claim for ourselves. "A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grevious 

 words stir up strife." .There is an old maxim well worth remembering, 

 "Of the unspoken word thou art the master, but the spoken word is master 

 of thee." 



Now, a word about this rules committee for whom I ask the most con- 

 scientious consideration for their careful, painstaking work which has 

 been done at the earnest request of important divisions of this meuiher- 

 ship. When I asked Mr. McClure to take the chairmanship of this com- 

 uuttee. I knew that his interests were large ami widely diverslHed and 

 that accordingly the ilemamls upon his time, thought and strength were 

 great, but I knew that every member of the association, like myself, had 

 the most implicit confidence in his ability, fairness and honesty. I knew 



J. V. 



STIMSON. IirNTINGBIRG, IND., 

 VICE-PRESIDENT 



J. W. DICKS! IN. MEMPHIS, 

 VICE-PRESIDENT 



A. GOODMAN, MARINETTE. WIS., 

 VICE-PRESIDENT 



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