Deeeniber 25, 1915 



B. W. LORD, DANVILLE. KY., 

 DIRECTOR AMI RETIRING PRESIDENT. 



D. E. KLINE, LOUISVILLE, 

 CHAIRMAN SPECIAL TRAFFIC COMMITTEE. 



i;. O. WORLAND. EVANSVILLE. 

 CHAIRMAN INSPECTION RULES COM. 



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ill To Standardize Thin Lumber Grades I^ 



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The annual meetiug of the National Veueer and Panel Manufac- 

 turers' Association took place at the Auditorium hotel, Chicago, 

 on Tuesday, December 14. 



In his introductory remarks President B. \V. Lord emphasized 

 the special necessity for the use of good judgment in selecting logs 

 and especially urged the exercise of the greatest care in manufac- 

 ture, as the industry has passed through a trying period in the last 

 few months and is now beginning to recuperate. It should be given 

 every aid in this direction. Mr. Lord said: "If we would talve 

 advantage of what we have been through we would have our busi- 

 ness on the lowest economic basis and the highest point of efEciencj-. 

 It looks as though we are standing on the threshold of an oppor- 

 tunity we have never had before. Almost all of the users of our 

 products have cut their stocks down to such an extent they will 

 have to order considerable quantities of our product, so that the 

 demand is apt to be greater than we can take care of. We should 

 therefore look forward to an unprecedented business." 

 The Treasurer's Report 



The report of Treasurer E. H. Defebaugh showed the finances 

 to be in good condition. Mr. Defebaugh spoke on the general ques- 

 tion of association support, maintaining that the association idea 

 will mean a lot toward general establishment of economic manu- 

 facture and high-class production, also in the direction of greater 

 realization on sales. He urged the members to consider the cost 

 of delivering their products before making long-term contracts on 

 account of the uncertainty as to future developments in the threat- 

 ened reclassification of forest products, which if put through as 

 suggested would be particularly serious for thin lumber manu- 

 facturers. 



Uniform Grading Committee Appointed 



President Lord introduced Frank F. Fish, secretary of the Na- 

 tional Hardwood Lumber Association, preceding the direct introduc- 

 tion with a discussion of what this question means to thin lumber 

 producers. Mr. Lord said that while uniform grading and inspec- 

 tion is very important to the industry, it has been very diflBcult in 

 the past to establish such uniformity even though buyers would 

 much prefer to have rules of a definite character on which they 

 could purchase their stock. 



In commenting on this point and its bearing on his association, 

 Mr. Fish said: 



My knowledge of the grading rules is purely theoretical, but I will tell 



you what the hardwood lumbermen have been able to accomplish by 

 reason of their getting together in this organization and co-operating. 

 A majority of you are probably aware of the fact that prior to the organ- 

 ization of the National Hardwood Lumber Association there was no uni- 

 form standard for the measurement and grading of hardwood lumber. 

 Every manufacturer bad his own idea of the matter. 



A little more than eighteen years ago about twenty of the hardwood 

 lumbermen decided to hold a meeting and organize. The original by-laws 

 stated that the object was to establish uniform rules for the measure- 

 ment and grading of hardwoods. Those rules were adopted, printed and 

 distributed and met with a great deal of opposition. 



The dealers in some of the larger wholesale markets were unable to 

 rise above their own viewpoint. Some customers required greater widths 

 or lengths than the National association h.id decided upon and the rules 

 of the organization were fought. The work, however, progressed and a 

 few inspectors were appointed in the chief producing centers. 



The progress of the work was such that the directors, after about 

 five years, were confronted with the fact that a uniform inspection rule 

 without application of that rule was of very doubtful value. There was 

 a difference of opinion as regards the rules, and the matter of appoint- 

 ing inspectors to apply the rules in a uniform manner. The work was 

 therefore undertaken in a gradual way. Twelve years ago we had eight 

 inspectors ; there are seventy-two inspectors in the country today under 

 bond to issue the National certificate. 



Inspection rules are a compromise pure and simple. We have to con 

 cede something to get anything. Today the National Implement and 

 Vehicle Manufacturers' Association, which embraces practically all the 

 large producers in that line, has officially adopted and endorsed the rules 

 of the National Hardwood Lumber Association. I can cite a number of 

 instances emphasizing the absolute importance of a uniform standard in 

 the grading of this product. In all markets in the hardwood business there 

 have been a few concerns whose avarice has warped their judgment. 



In going along with this work from time to time it has been neces- 

 sary to alter or amend these grades, owing to changes in the business. 

 Something like two years ago the furniture trades held a conven- 

 tion in Chicago and formed an amalgamation and organized what is now 

 known as the Federation of Furniture and Fixture Manufacturers, with an 

 annual output of over one billion dollars. We had a little trouble with 

 this federation at first on account of the grades, as they did not want to 

 accept our rules, but by co-operative teamwork we finally induced them 

 to adopt the grades. 



President Lord expressed himself as being particularly pleased 

 with Mr. Fish's statement that the National Hardwood Lumber As- 

 sociation would be glad to help the members of the thin lumber 

 organization, and said that this offer should be taken advantage of. 

 After considerable discussion, in which the only dissenting views 

 had to do with the possibility of adopting present rules, it was 

 decided on motion that a special committee be appointed to work 

 out a plan for a uniform basis of grades and inspection along the 



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