February 10, 1918 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



25 



sent to the lumber trade Journals, who srencrnlly refer to It at length, and 

 8onie publish It in full. This market letter l.s an analysis of current mar- 

 ket and economic conditions, and It also contains the average market 

 price of the Important hardwoods. It Is looked upon as a reliable source 

 of market Information and service. 



H.\RDWOOD C.R,Vl>ES 



Hardwood grades arc the very heart and soul of the hardwood busi- 

 ness. One of the chief purposes of this organization Is the correct grad- 

 ing of lumber and the maintenance of a force of Inspectors who arc capable 

 of Interpreting the rules fairly, honestly and Impartially. Look at the 

 situation now as compared with what II . was before this organization 

 came Into existence and reflect 

 what It might be if It were not 

 for the tight that our members 

 have made for the establishment 

 of grades they can afford ti 

 ship. The open competition plan 

 has greatly increa'v.ed the work 

 of the Inspection department 

 during the past year and several 

 additional inspectors have been 

 employed. Our mill instruction 

 service was inaugurated for the 

 benefit of you and your cus- 

 tomers and in the interest of 

 uniform grades, which this asso- 

 ciation regards as a most vital 

 principle of making and market- 

 ing lumber. When there is grade 

 uniformity in the grades shipped 

 by you and your neighbors one 

 of your most diflScult problems 

 will be solved. 



Our commercial reporting serv 

 ice, which is an exchange of 

 ledger Information between mem- 

 bers, has shown a remarkable 

 increase during the year. Our 

 stock reports are of inestimable 

 value in gauging market condi- 

 tions, and it is our desire that 

 every member of the association 

 co-operate in preparing this very 

 valuable statement. 



Cost and Pbofit 



It would be impossible to 

 reckon in dollars and cents the 

 value of the work done by this 

 association. The expenses the 

 past year were about $50,000. 

 The only source of revenue is 

 from membership dues, and it is 

 gratifying to report that at the 

 end of the fiscal year December 

 31. 1917, the finances of the 

 Association were in a healthy 

 and sound condition. 



In conclusion permit me to 

 call your attention to the fact 

 that the past year has been filled 

 with more successful work thau 

 any previous year, the highest 

 point thus far attained by the 

 association In membership and 

 activity, and in diversity and 

 value of services has been reached. 



A committee was appointed to confer with other affiliated associations 

 of the National Lumber Manufacturers' Association In reference to the 

 war profits tax. This committee held- meetings at Chicago and Wash- 

 ington during the year. 



During the year the association pledged all it had In material. In 

 resources and In manhood to the government In the crisis confronting it. 



It inaugurated a movement to get all lumber manufacturers' associa- 

 tions to make a board rule with a half foot mark on the standard rule 

 and any other rule special. We believe the adoption of a rule of this kind 

 used in measuring lumber will In a large measure eliminate the differences 

 of one or two hundred feet In measurement which so often exists. 



We have gone on record as favoring the branding of lumber, and have 

 participated In the hearings on the fifteen per cent freight advance case. 

 We are afllllated with the Chamber of Commerce of the United States and 

 are co-operating In all activities of that association. 



The value of this association's work is not measured by the number of 

 new members secured, notwithstanding the Increase In membership during 

 the past year amounted to thirty-seven per cent, but by the constant con- 



B. B. UUUNS, IIU.NTIXGTON, W. VA., RETIKING PRESIDENT 



tact which the association baa with its members. A large proportion of 

 the many numbers who have Joined the association during the past year 

 were attrartcd by the service afforded through the plan for open com- 

 petition. 



Don't ask yourself the question : "What am I going to get out of my 

 association niembcrsblp this year';" Rather ask first this question: 

 "What am I going '■' I'oi inut my association work tills year?" 



t 'O-OPBBATION 



Charles A. Hinsch of Cincinnati, president of the American 

 Bankers' Association, followed the address of President Burns with 



an interesting talk on "Co- 

 Operation." Mr. Hinsch 

 aroused his hearers to a high 

 pitch of enthusiasm when 

 touching upon the war situa- 

 tion, and gave the lumbermen 

 some sound advice on busi- 

 ness methods which should 

 prevail during the war and 

 after. He declared that the 

 German Empire had mobil- 

 ized and co-ordinated every 

 last atom of her resources of 

 brain and material for win- 

 ning the war, and the Prus- 

 sians had effected a central- 

 ized, comprehensive, powerful 

 business organization which, 

 considering its size and rami- 

 fications, has never before 

 been approached. He urged 

 the lumbermen and all other 



[business men in the country 

 to prepare for unprecedented 

 competition for world busi- 

 ness after the war. "Give 

 1 America an even chance with 

 ' the people of other nations," 

 'declared Mr. Hinsch, "and 

 the people would furnish busi- 

 ness to comfortably support 

 a merchant marine second 

 to none." Ignorant competi- 

 tion is most dangerous to the 

 development and success of 

 our country, Mr. Hinsch as- 

 serted, and he made a plea 

 for the Federal Eeserve bank 

 and urged all eligible state 

 banks to join the great sys- 

 tem, declaring that it is in- 

 conceivable that the national 

 bank alone should be ex- 

 pected or permitted to insure 



the financial stability of the country unaided by the eligible state 

 banks. Mr. Hinsch strongly advocated the use of trade acceptance 

 in the lumber industry. Ho gave an instance of the campaign that 

 is being waged for the general establishment of the credit instru- 

 ment in American business and told of its adoption in many other 

 lines where it is more than justifying its promises. 



The speaker advocated the development and improvement of 

 the interior waterways of the country as a means of improving 

 transportation facilities, and he laid special stress upon tho canali- 

 zation of tho Ohio river from Pittsburgh to Cairo by the construc- 

 tion of locks and dams. Surveys have shown that this can be done 

 with the expenditure of $30,000,000. The importance of the Ohio 

 river as a means of transporting coal requires that it be given first 

 consideration in any scheme for taking advantage of our wonder- 

 ful river systems for transportation purposes. 



