HARDWOOD RECORD 



of tlieii- lumber business and what will ho the result it some o£ the rates 

 now in controversy are actually put into offoet. They are goins to asl< that 

 the railroads be equally frank with them in the hope that an adjustment 

 may he brought about which will maJie it possible for the railroads to enjoy 

 a reasonable rate and at the same time give the lumbermen a cliance to 

 <;ontinue their business successfully. 



It has been, known for some time tliat the Southern Hardwood Traffic 

 Association was planning this conference, but it had to feel its way. It sent 

 out invitations to railroad presidents, traffic managers and others con- 

 nected with the handling of freight. It also sent out invitations to about 

 1,000 manufacturers and distributors of hardwood lumber throughout the 

 South. Within the past few da.vs a number of acceptances liave been re- 

 ceiyed from the railroad men and fully 300 manufacturers and distributors 

 •of lumber have signified their intention of being present. With this encour- 

 agement, the association has made definite announcement of the date and 

 place of the meeting, as already given. Hotel Csiyoso, Memphis, April 7. 



A spirit of harmony between the railroad men and representatives of the 

 lumber industry will be sought through this conference and it is emphasized 

 by some members of the trade that the consequences may be of the most far- 

 leachlQg importance, both to the railroads and the bardwoo<l lumber indus- 

 try. Thei-e has been entirely too nuich antagonism between the carriers and 

 the lumber people, in the opinion of some members of the trade, and it is 

 hoped to bring about such relations that both will deal with each other in 

 a more friendly spirit. There are <iu<stions about the operation of railroads 

 and difficulties which the carrier must overcome of which the average 

 shipper is entirely ignorant. On the other hand it is felt that there are 

 many phases of the hardwood lumber industry, from the time the tree is cut 

 in the woods vinlii the product is finally marketed, regarding which there 

 is sad lack of knowledge on the part of the traffic heads of the railroad 

 systems. It is believed that an interchange of views on these subjects and 

 mutual enlightenment regarding the railroad and lumber business must 

 necessarily prove of vast benefit all around. 



The committee in whose hands plans for the meeting have l)een placed is 

 composed of the following : George D. Burgess, Rusee & Burgess, Inc., Mem- 

 phis, chairman : W. B. Burke, Lamb-Fish Lumber Company, Charleston, 

 Miss. : James E. Stark, James E. Stark & Co., Memphis ; Frank F. Fee, the 

 Fee-Crayton Hardwood Lumber Company, Dermott, Ark. ; Frank B. Robert- 

 son, the Anderson-Tully Company, Memphis, and F. R. Gadd, the Wisconsin 

 Lumber Company, Chicago. 



Chairman Interstate Commerce Commission 



The new chairman for the Interstate Commerce Commission elected at 

 Washington on March 17 is C. C. McChord, formerly of Louisville. Mr. 

 McChord has served as a commissioner in this work for some time past. 



Organization of Western Veneer Men 

 The Pacific Coast Veneer Association is the style of an organization, the 

 initial plans of which were launched at a meeting held a short time ago 

 at Tacoma, Wash. The association will embrace manufacturers of veneers 

 and veneered hoxes in the West, and will take in practically all of the 

 leading manufacturers in this line. 



Efforts to Revivify Hoo-Hoo 



E. D. Tennant, snark of the universe, has had active charge of the 

 scrivenoter's office at St. Louis since his appointment at the Joint meet- 

 ing at the house of ancients and the supreme nine at Chicago a few weeks 

 ago. Mr. Tennant lias sent out the following appeal, giving a summary 

 of the conditions of the organization : 



'Relieving that the members of the order are entitled to know why the 

 executive officers have had to make an assessment of $2 per member, I 

 submit the following : 



Owing to Scrivenoter Stephenson's condition being sucli that he cannot 

 come to the office and straighten out his records, I am unable to give 

 a correct statement of receipts and expenditures for all the year. I am, 

 however, making a careful audit and hope to have the records straight- 

 ened up at an early date. W'e will require about $5,250 to take care of 

 present existing death emergency claims, and we need as much niore 

 for current liabilities, also funds for the carrying on of the regular busi- 

 ness affairs of the order. The supreme nine will install a system with a 

 view to preventing future mistakes. 



Our records show an active membership of over 11,000. Our liability, 

 divided amongst this number, is small. Two dollars per member will pay 

 all liabilities and leave a surplus sutHcient, with the raised dues next year, 

 to put the order on a sound financial basis and keep it there. Our records 

 show that practically all of our active members have paid 1915 dues. 

 This means that Hoo-Hoo is alive and that, in spite of the strenuous 

 times, its members have not lost interest. But our dues have been too 

 small to avoid going behind. 



Regarding the dohelt contribution asked for in December, the amount 

 collected was insufficient to relieve our present condition. Receipts on 

 this call were to be acknowledged only under the roll of honor in the 

 bulletin. However, the scrivenoter's ill-health has prevented the bulletin 

 being published since November. It was decided at the Chicago meeting 

 to defer future publications until our finances would permit. 



The hand book has not been mailed out owing to the cost of postage. 

 This book has cost the order, including printing and cost of labor, about 

 seventv-flve (cnts per copy, It was decided at the meeting that vicegerent 

 snarks would be supplied with copies, but that members who desire them 

 would be charged a nominal fee of fifty cents each. It you wish to secure 

 a copy, kindly include fifty cents in your assessment remittance and 

 advise this office. , ,, , ^, , , 



I personally believe in Hoo-Hoo'. It could not have lived this long It 

 the Idea were not right. Judging from the numerous personal letters and 

 messages I have lately receive<l. I am certain that the memlwrs want the 

 order perpetuated, and are nnlling to help do it. Now. do your share : 

 put Hoo-Hoo on a solid, permanent basis. Mistakes made in the past will 

 be avoided and the business affairs of the order handled in a manner that 

 will win the approval and support of the entire membership. 



27 



In addition to the appeal, the following facts are outlined In Snark 

 Tennant's statement : 



Supreme Snark E. D. Tennant and Supreme Gurdon G. H. Grayson had 

 charge of the scrivenoter's office since appointment at the recent confer- 

 ence, and will be In active charge until a competent man can be employed. 

 The scrivenoter will hereafter be elected and will serve without salary. 



The supreme nine will be empowered to employ a competent manager to 

 handle the business of Hoo-Hoo under supervision of that body. 



The annual dues will be increased to ?3.fi5, effective September 9 on 

 present members. .\n immediate as.sessment of two dollars per member 

 was levied to raise necessary fluids imme<llately. 



Memphis Club Appoints Inspection Committee 



The Lumbermen's Club of .Memiihis. at its regular seml-montlily meeting, 

 held at the Hotel Gayoso Saturday, March 13, decided upon the creation of 

 an insijcction ciunmlttec wliich will make inv.}stigatlons from time to time In 

 connection with the sulyect of Inspection and Inspection rules and report Its 

 findings to the club in order that this body may act as a unit on matters 

 relating to this subject. It was made quite clear that this committee Is to 

 be entirely independent and wholly impartial. The reason for this will be 

 readily understood when it is stated that there are a number of members ot 

 the Luraliermen's Club who are identilled with the National Hardwood 

 Lumber- .\ssociatlon and also quite a goodly number connected with tlie 

 Hardwood Mainifacturers' Association and still other organizations which 

 maintain inspection bureaus and promulgate inspection rules. This com- 

 mittee, which is regarded as by far the most important created in a long 

 while by this organization, is composed of John W. Welsh, chairman : R. H. 

 Darnell of R. J. Darnell, Inc. ; l>igar Lehr, Green River Lumber Company : 

 W. L. Crenshaw, Crenshaw-Gary Lumber Company, and F. W. Dugan, Dugan 

 Lunilier Company. 



The entertainment committee was authorized to make the necessary ar- 

 ivingements for another dinner dance to be given under the auspices of the 

 club. The entertainment committee stated that a number of members had 

 requested that another one of these informal affairs be arranged, and this 

 was all that was required to bring fortli the necessary authorization. The 

 expenses of these dances arc borne by the members of the club who actually 

 attend. 



Fred Conn ot the Bayou Land and Lumber Company, Cincinnati and 

 Yazoo City, Miss., was elected an associate member. 



This meeting was exceptionally well attended, there being sixty-eight 

 members and guests present The usual luncheon was served. C. G. Kadel 

 was in the chair. Among the visitors was Earl Palmer, I'aducah, Ky., a 

 former president of the National Hardwood Lumber Association. Mr. 

 Palmer is well known In Memphis, having been in close touch with the 

 trade of this cit.v and section for a number of years. 



Cypress in the Year 1914 

 George E. Watson, secretary of the Southern Cypress Manufacturers' Asso- 

 ciation, has given out figures on the cypress business for the calendar year 

 1914. He said that busines was relatively better for cypress than for any 

 other wood. Mills ran on nearly full time, except in December, and sales 

 were good. Stocks on hand January 1 were only four per cent larger than 

 I'or the corresponding date a year before. 



National Lumber Manufacturers' New Quarters 



On May 1 the offices of the National Lumber Manufacturers' A.ssoclation 

 will be moved from present quarters on the sixteenth floor of the Otis build- 

 ing, LaSalle and Jl.-idison streets, to new offices on the ninUi floor of the 

 Lumbermen's and Manufacturers* building now nearing completion directly 

 across LaSalle street from the Otis building. The new quarters will include 

 rooms 923-932, and will furnish ample room for transacting all the associa- 

 tion's business. 

 Board of Directors of the National Chamber of Commerce Meets 



Many matters of importance were taken u\> at the two days' session 

 of the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce of the United 

 States held at Washington a short time ago. Foremost among these was 

 the appointment of a federal trade committee which will act In co- 

 operation with the new Federal Trade Commission. It Is composed of 

 nine members. 



The board decided to test in the courts the correctness of the regula- 

 tions of the Treasury Department which for the purpose of the law 

 taxing net incomes, requires business men to account for gains from all 

 of their transactions, but permits them to deduct only such losses as are 

 incurred in their regular occupations. The directors are anxious not 

 to provoke a controversy in the matter In an antagonistic spirit, but 

 felt that it was Important to have It .settled. 



Further effort was In the direction of co-opcratlon with a national 

 system ot labor exchanges to deal with questions of unemployment. The 

 board voted to appoint a committee to study these plans. 



Regarding the tariff commission, the board voted to appoint a special 

 committee to consider the present status of the situation. Similar action 

 was also taken regarding the National budget. 



Other important questions coming up for consideration were rural 

 credits, pure fabric law and new members. The directors voted to appoint 

 a special committee to make a study of the first two subjects. 



Samuel .McRoberts of New York and Joseph H. Dcfrecs of Chicago were 

 elected vice-presidents. President Fahey, in commenting on business 

 conditions, spoke with a great deal of optimism and assurance as to 

 future developments. 



