3Ia.v 2:1 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



21 



^^^. Goodman chose as his subject, "Why the National Asso- 

 ciationf " Ho introduced his topic with the interrogation as to the 

 necessity for expanded and greatly strengthened national body in 

 the face of tremendous demand and of tremendous difficulty in 

 manufacturing due to supplies, labor and ears, when this condi- 

 tion still leaves to the manufacturer a reasonable profit on his 

 •operation. He asked "Therefore, why the National association?" 



He cited the pleasant .experience he has liad during the past 

 year as manager of the National and emphasized the broadening 

 influence of close association with the high type of men administer- 

 ing tlie affairs of that very important body. 



Ho went on to enumerate the many vast uses for lumber which 

 ordinarily do not occur as obvious to the lumber manufacturer 

 who has reckoned with the usual channels of commercial demand, 

 and he maintained that the whole country may have to suffer from 

 an era of "low price" fixings. He maintained that it is the dut.v 

 of the convention assembled to define the new influence and aims 

 •of the industry and to carry thoni througli to a successful con- 

 ■clusion. 



Mr. Goodman made the stirrini; declaration that "For the indi- 



committee was the only trade committee at Washington which was 

 organized on a comprehensive plan, and that the organizers had 

 been repeatedly complimented by the adoption of similar plans by 

 other trade bodies seeking to aid the National government at 

 Washington. 



According to Mr. Worcester, one of the greatest difficulties was 

 the overcoming of what might be described as suspicion of the 

 motives of the unselfish lumbermen, who gave their time and their 

 money in • the interest of their government and of their trade. 

 These suspicions lead to many attacks, which difficulties, however, 

 were eventually overcome through the courageous and unfalter- 

 ing efforts of R. H. Downman and the members of his committee. 



Mr. Worcester said that it is not within the ability of any indi- 

 vidual to foresee National requirements exactly, as no one knows 

 until the very last moment what requirements will be. He made the 

 encouraging prophecy, however, that the capacity of sawmills in 

 tliis country will be fully occupied during 1918. 



Following Mr. Worcester's talk, W. H. Sullivan of Bogalusa, La., 

 made a stirring talk of appreciation of Mr. Downman 's work and 

 his character, and closed with a motion that a suitable gold medal 



iIUEf 



IK 



vidual to pursue the dollar of profit from his individual enterprise 

 and leave the industry as a whole to shift for itself, is the height 

 ■of disloyalty." 



He closed with the assertion that the association is in a remark- 

 Ably strong position and will so continue. 



Mr. Goodman then introduced Dr. Wilson Compton, who talked 

 ■on the subject, "National Organization in Eelation to National 

 Problems." 



Dr. Compton has had practical lumber experience and at 

 the same time has made a thorough study of the industrial and 

 economic problems confronting the lumber industry. His talk fol- 

 lowed closely the suggestion in the title, his aim being to point 

 out to the industry important current problems and those which 

 will develop with the advent of future epochs. He defined ways 

 and means for successfully meeting the grave questions and over- 

 coming threatening difficulties. 



C. H. Worcester of Chicago, who for the past year or more has 

 worked with K. H. Downman on the lumber committee at Washing- 

 ton, gave a plain but interesting recitation of facts and description 

 of conditions encountered at the National capital. He sketched the 

 development of the lumber board, which originated in a small office 

 room in Washington, where fourteen prominent lumbermen met 

 about a year ago to organize the work. He said that the lumber 



be struck off to be presented to Mr. Downman by the chief executive 

 of the nation as a fitting tribute to his glowing record and honest 

 and sincere work while at Washington. The motion was carried 

 with a rising vote. 



In introducing J. H. Bloedel of Seattle, Wash., Chairman Down- 

 man made an unique comparison between the character of the lum- 

 ber industry in the older sections through the South and the Middle 

 West and the spirit one encounters in the far Northwest. He 

 said that the southern and central western industry is rather 

 prosaic in its nature, whereas one associates a spirit of romance 

 with the exploitation of the timberlands in the Pacific coast regions. 



Eesponding, Mr. Bloedel gracefully acknowledged the compli- 

 ment, saying that such a spirit of romance undoubtedly does exist, 

 because it was the romantic lure of the Far West which brought its 

 citizens many years ago, and it has been the sustained romance 

 of that section which has made westerners discontented in any 

 other than their new home environments. 



Mr. Bloedel reviewed the astonishing record made by western 

 manufacturers in meeting the National need. He instanced the 

 great difficulty in getting shipments of ship timbers through to 

 the Atlantic states, and told of the final inauguration of a solid 

 trainload service which when well organized led to the shipping 

 of solid trainloads of ship timber practically every day. In fact, 



