TO PROMOTE THE USE OF WOOD 



A 



T A meeting of most of the leading 

 lumbermen and lumber manu- 

 facturers of the country at 

 Chicago on February 24th and 

 25th, called by the Forest Products 

 Federation, plans were perfected for 

 organizing a Trade Extension Depart- 

 ment of the National Lumber Manu- 

 facturers Association. This will be for 

 the purpose of promoting the use of 

 wood and all forest products. It 

 marked a decisive step forward in the 

 lumber industry following a realization 

 of the need of a propaganda, education 

 and publicity among the consumers of 

 lumber. 



It was decided by the Executive 

 Committee that its field of activity in 

 this work will be : 



(1) To compile full and reliable 

 information upon fire losses, insurance 

 rates, building codes, uses of wood 

 substitutes for wood and anti-wood 

 legislation. 



(2) To cooperate with and assist 

 other organizations of woodworking 

 and consuming interests. 



(3) To disseminate information by 

 speakers, bulletins, newspapers and 

 magazine articles, exhibits, advertising, 

 ets., upon the properties and uses of 

 wood. 



(4) To oppose unfair discrimination 

 against wood in building codes, regula- 

 tions, ordinances, legislation, etc. 



(5) To conduct technical investiga- 

 tions of the properties of wood as a 

 construction material. 



(6) To develop and extend practical 

 fire prevention methods and processes. 



This plan of work, together with the 

 proposal to create a Trade Extension 

 Department of the National Lumber 

 Manufacturers Association for conduct- 

 ing it, was approved by the meeting and 



operation will commence as soon as the 

 money necessary for the work is secured. 

 The Committee in presenting its plan 

 emphasized the need of the work by say- 

 ing: "The need is apparent since the 

 lumber industry is suffering for want 

 of a national champion of its interests 

 in matters of trade extension. Neither 

 the manufacturers nor distributors have 

 told the consumers how, when, and 

 where the wood may best be used, nor 

 have they aggressively met competition, 

 but instead have allowed other building 

 materials to beat wood out on its own 

 ground. This supine acceptance of 

 what comes in the way of orders, with 

 no attempt to fight for business or to 

 promote grades and kinds of wood to 

 meet specific service requirements, 

 simply gives the other fellow an open 

 field. " Not only are the other materials 

 sold for purposes where lumber would 

 be as good or better, but they are con- 

 stantly improved and made to serve 

 the consumers' needs more perfectly. 

 Such methods win permanent trade, 

 and the materials thus perfected and 

 adapted to specific uses become so 

 firmly intrenched that wood will never 

 get back its lost ground. In fact, the 

 existing information regarding the best 

 use of wood in relation to service re- 

 quirements has not even been compiled, 

 much less made available to either the 

 consumer or the lumbermen themselves. 

 Much prejudice against wood exists 

 because its merits have not been con- 

 vincingly presented, its uses wisely 

 advocated, nor its availability explained. 

 This lack of knowledge has been in- 

 creased and misconceptions created by 

 the active propaganda for other ma- 

 terials which in many cases are not as 

 economical or desirable as wood. 



Profitable Town Forest 



Forbach, Germany, is said to have the most profitable town forest known; it yields an annual 

 net gain of $12.14 an acre. 



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