■16 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



March 10, 1921 



Apparently the upper grade situation lias about adjusted itself. 

 The problem confronting the niillnien is the handling of lower 

 grades to advantage. The cancelling of tie contracts by railroads 

 has had serious effect on the low-grade market, as tie production 

 could ordinarily be counted upon to take up a very fair percentage 

 of low grade material. This, though, is a matter which may be 

 cleared up if prompt action in Washington will take care of the 

 railroad financing. It is a matter of great concern, and will 

 seriously affect producers and consumers of hardwood lumber if 

 not speedily taken care of. 



Hakdwood Eecoed sees no reason to effect any great volume of 

 business or any sudden spurt in orders, but, as suggested in recent 

 issues, the evidence of very gradual improvement is surely here. 

 Apparently there is no reason to doubt that it will continue to 

 show a gradual acceleration. 



Concerning a Sand Box 



--pHE LUMBER INDUSTRY REALIZES the necessity for sell- 

 ing the public on the idea of understanding its problems and 

 giving it at least fair consideration. The lumber industry is rep- 

 resented before the public directly by retail lumbermen. The pub- 

 lic gets its impression from its contact with the retail lumber 

 dealer. The lumber industry has seriously rejected the continu- 

 ance of poor demand for further increase in the price of lumber 

 by stating in all truth that lumber prices have gone off from fifty 

 to sixty per cent, in some cases a great deal more, and that lumber 

 is now being manufactured and sold by producers at an amount 

 less than cost figure. 



Now just what bearing would a toy sand box have on this com- 

 bination of circumstances? A sand box is a little thing about 

 four-and-a-half feet square, with sides about ten inches high, 

 made out of No. 2 pine and with an average dressed 1x6. The 

 false position in which the lumber trade is put in the minds of the 

 public by the unwillingness of lumber retailers to take their loss, 

 the same as everyone else, is typified by an instance occurring to 

 the editor of Hardwood Record a few days ago. It happened 

 that he wanted a sand box of the above dimensions made tor tlie 

 junior members of the family. The bids, not necessarily of formal 

 character, were received from a number of local carpenter shops, 

 the lowest bid, including labor and material, being $8.75. Of this 

 the lumber bill was $4.75. Without exception the carpenters inter- 

 viewed said that they had received practically no reduction in the 

 cost of lumber to them. Obviously at this rate the lumber repre- 

 sented in this box was bought on the basis of about $140 a thou- 

 sand for No. 2 pine. 



Hardwood Record has on a number of occasions pointed out 

 that the retail handler of all commodities is seriously interfering 

 with readjustment by refusing to take his loss, which in the end 

 is inevitable, and start out afresh with new merchandise bought 

 on a greatly reduced basis. If retailers in general had accepted 

 the situation in its true light in the late fall and early winter 

 months and had liquidated in the early part of this year, the 

 liquidation would not have existed in nearly so serious proportions. 



The retail lumberman, according to just such experiences as 

 cited, is not passing to the public the reductions which he is 

 receiving. In following this course he is not only retarding his 



own business, but seriously checking the industry right up to the 

 forest. The bulk of the lumber must pass through retail dealers' 

 hands. There is no reason why he should refuse to pass on every 

 bit of price reduction that he can in order that the public may 

 be stimulated as speedily as possible to renew buying. 



The Severance Tax 



THE LUMBERMEN OF THE MEMPHIS, KuoxviUe and other 

 important hardwood territories of Tennessee can no dnubt take 

 care of themselves in a fight like that launched to forestall the 

 imposition by the Tennessee legislature of a severance tax on tim- 

 ber removal. Nevertheless, Hardwood Rixord would like to add 

 a word of encouragement to their efforts, and also express the 

 milder portions of the thoughts that arise in consideration of a 

 measure so utterly shortsighted and fatuous. There is no justifica- 

 tion for the placing of an additional tax burden on the timber 

 holders of Tennessee or any other state. Timber is already over- 

 taxed, and all progressive spirits, who "know beans'' about the 

 needs of the day in timber taxation, are aware that lighter rather 

 than heavier taxes are needed. Taxes on timber uuist lir lightened 

 in order that lumbermen may be able to cnnsei\c ami reproduce 

 their timber. Every increase of taxes on tinilicr puts just that 

 much further away the possibility of installing a national forestry 

 program in which private owners of timber may co-ri]ierate tn con- 

 serve and reforest their holdings. 



Less Government In Business 



MEMBERS OF THE LUMBER INDUSTRY who took the time to 

 read President Harding's inaugural address must haic experi- 

 enced a feeling of elation when they arrived at that portion in which 

 the new President declared that he stood for more business in govern- 

 ment and less government in business. No class of liusfiness men 

 lias suffered more than the lumbermen from illiiatuicil and ill-ad- 

 vised Federal meddling in the business of the country ami it must, 

 of course, please them to know that there is to be a more tolerant and 

 broad minded order of things in Washington. 



Before tlie Palmer regime passed into the category of lias-beens, its 

 attacks upon the lumber industry had begun to a.ssume the air of 

 jiersecution. However, the issue is now with the Federal judiciary, 

 and the members of the industry may thankfully hope for an early 

 .settlement of the matter. In the meantime we may feel that there 

 has been an end to persecution. There is no reason to believe that 

 the new Attorney General under Harding will be committed to the 

 policy of making ' ' grand stand ' ' attacks on American industry, witli 

 an eye to the prestige that may be gained with the proletariat thereby. 



Predatory monopolies undoubtedly must be suppres.sed whenever 

 they develop, Init big business, merely because it is big business, is not 

 evil and detrimental to the welfare of the country. It is big business 

 that has made the United States the richest and most powerful na- 

 tion in the world. It has developed the resources of the country and 

 made it the happiest nation of the earth in which to live. Therefore, 

 any interference with the natural processes of business may well in- 

 jure and deteriorate the most valuable of tfur assets. Business must 

 be allowed all possible freedom of action within the law and the Con- 

 stitution. Unless this is ]ierniitted America's greatness can not con- 

 tinue. 



REVIEW AND OUTLOOK: 



General Market Conditions 15-16 



SPECIAL ARTICLES: 



Electrically Driven Saw Mills 17-18 & 28 



Reductions: Effect on Final Factory Cost 19 



The Southern Situation Improves 20-21 



Early Re-argument of Hardwood Case Urged 21 



Proper Drying Demands Good Circulation 22-24 



Forestry in the Central States , , 26 



POWER LOGGING AND LUMBER HANDLING: 



A Small Carelessness May Ruin Your Machine 28 



NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITAL: 



Miscellaneous 24-26 



CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS: 



Miscellaneous 24 & 26 



Dining Table Manufacturers* Special Meeting 31-32 



Living Room Table Manufacturers* Annual Meeting 32 



Table of Contents 



HARDWOOD NEWS SO-SS 



HARDWOOD MARKET 5S-59 



CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS '. 64-6$ 



HARDWOODS FOR SALE 66-69 



ADVERTISERS' DIRECTORY 61 



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Entered as second-class matter May 26. 1902. at the postoffice at Chicago. 



