22 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



April 10, 1921 



Wholesalers Re-elect McClure President 



National Association Considers Railroad, Financial and Industrial Problems 

 of Country at Optimistic Two-Day Convention in Chicago 



Expressing their gratification for tlic inilispensable service ren- 

 dered by their association at every turn of tlie stressful period of 

 enormous inflation and tremendous deflation, which marked the past 

 association year, the members of the National Wholesale Lumber 

 Dealers' Association, in twenty-ninth annual convention assembleil. 

 re-elected John W. MeClure of Memphis, president, and with liini 

 the other executives of the organization. 

 The members were also moved to this 

 expression of appreciation of the manage- 

 ment of their association during the past 

 year by the report that the association 

 enjoyed the largest increase in membership 

 of any previous year, while at the same 

 time maintaining inflexibly the high stand- 

 ards demanded for admission. The member 

 ship, according to the rejjort of W. H. 

 Schupner, secretary, started the year just 

 concluded with 482 members, 84 new mem- 

 bers were admitted, six were reinstated, 

 eight members went out of business and 17 

 resigned, leaving 541 members, or a total 

 gain of 59. This gain was largely in the 

 central west and south. Mr. Schupner com- 

 plimented F. L. Brown, Chicago, chairman 

 of the membership committee, for tliis splen- 

 did showing. 



The convention was held at tlie Drake 

 Hotel in Chicago, March 29 and 30, and was 

 attended by over 300 members and guests. 

 The annual banquet, held the evening of 

 Marcli 29, was attended by several hundred 

 members and their wives, and was in keep- 

 ing with the magnificence of the Drake Hotel Inillrooni in which 

 it was held. At this brilliant social event, President McClure 

 presided as toastniaster, and an address was made by John H. 

 Kirby, president of the National Lumber Manufacturers' Associa- 

 tion, on "Our National Duty," and Henry R. Rathbone of the 

 Chicago bar and formerly president of the Hamilton Club of Chi- 

 cago spoke on "America — Its Duty and Destiny." 



During the two-day session the wholesalers carefully reviewed 

 the operations of their association, considered methods of improv 

 ing its service during the foregoing year, and deliberated upon the 

 outstaniling political, social and economic problems of tlie countrv. 



John W. McClure 



Officers Re-elected and Trustees for Term Expiring 1924 

 Officers 



President John W. McClure 



First Vice-President W. H. Schuette 



Second Vice-President H. W. McDonough 



Resident Vice-President P. F. Perry 



Treasurer Henrv Cape 



Secretary W. W. Schupner 



Traffic Manager W. S. Phippen 



Trustees 



Gilbert L. Hume Suffolk, Va. 



Frederick Clevelanl Albany, N. Y. 



Dan McLachlin Arnprior, Ontario 



T. B. Hammer Philadelphia. Pa. 



G. F. Kerns Chicago, 111. 



J. W. McClure Memphis, Tenn. 



H. W. McDonough Boston, Mass. 



which have direct bearing upon the welfare of their business, and 

 in the solution of which they felt that they should take some part. 

 These deliberations resulted in resolutions applying to the rail- 

 roads, to national finance and taxation and the national industrial 

 structure. In regard to railroads they demanded in one resolution 

 tliat the Ailanison Act be repealed, to "allow the railroads to func- 

 tion without restriction by the govern- 

 ment," favoring "government supervision, 

 but not government control;" and in an- 

 other resolution petitioned "the President 

 and Congress of the United States to repeal 

 such legislation as prevents or restricts the 

 carriers from making individual contracts 

 and adjusting their rates of pay and indi- 

 vidual service with their employees, and 

 that pending such legislation, the President 

 (if the United States urge the Labor Board 

 to abrogate the so-called National Agree- 

 ments. ' ' 



Should Revise Rail Wages 



The "wherases" introducing this latter 

 resolution were as follows: 



Whkheas, in September, 191G. the so-called 

 Ailiunsou Law was enacted hurriedly and neces- 

 sarily without proper investigation, and under 

 thrcfit of strike, ostensibly as eight-hour legisla- 

 tion, which increased the wages of railroad em- 

 ployes and ope.ratiug expenses of the carriers 

 approximately one hundred niillioii dollars p);r 

 annum, and took from the managers the r-tmtroi 

 of their labor ; and, 



WnEKE.^s, subsequently the (lovernnieut took 

 over the operation of the roads and vested them 

 in the coiiti'nl of a l>ire<-tor General, who encouraged the railroad em- 

 ployes to seek increase in wages and the non-union employes to join Unions, 

 and further granted increases in wages to railroad employes amounting 

 to hundreds of millions of dollars ; and, 



Whkiie.vs. subsequent legislation and the so-called National Agreements 

 have further heavily increased operating- expenses and have prevented 

 proper recognition of constantly changing costs and conditions of labor, 

 with tlie result that the carriers are now compelled to pay much more 

 than is paid for similar classes of work in other industries, and have pre- 

 vented the carriers from securing proper efficiency and curtailing expenses, 

 and have further prevented the carriers from ad.iusfiug their rates of pay 

 and making individual contracts with their own emplo.ves to the extent 

 of forcing sfune of the roads into the hands of lieceivers, with others also 

 threatened with bankruptcy ; and, 



WnEttE.AS, in justice to the great body of labor and employers in out- 

 side imlustries. the wages of railroad employes should also be revised ; 

 Now, therefore, l)e it, etc."* 



With regard to Federal taxation it was recommended that the 

 excess profits tax be repealed, that the sur-tax be revised as recom- 

 mended by the association's legislative committee, and that a 

 Federal tax law "that is more feasible and more equitable and 

 just than our present law," be enacted. 



It was further resolved in regard to Federal taxation that pro- 

 vision shoud be made for "the adjustment of net losses ... in the 

 form of an amendment to the Revenue Act of 1918, and made effec- 

 tive with respect to the taxable year 1918 and each subsequent 

 year. 



As to another phase of national finance, the association indorsed 

 '■'the passing of a National Budget Law, which will place our 

 government on a real economic and business-like basis." 



Anotlier resolution made the striking recommendation, following 

 the suggestion of the legislative committee, "that our cabinet 

 membership be increased to carry with it a Secretary of Industry, 

 wliiise duty it will be to furtlier the interest of industry." 



