Vagabond Editorials

By Jack Dionne

From quiet homes and first beginning, Out to the undiscovered ends

There's nothing worth the while of winning

But laughter, and the love of friends.

***

-Hillaire .Belloc.

And now we enter upon another year, another era of promise, of hope enlarged because so long delayed. Nineteen thirty-seven, we greet you ! We greet you as the bridegroom greets the bride ! You've been highly recommended to us, nineteen thirty-seven ! See that you live up to your press notices !

*rl*

For a lonely string of years behind us, each year has started encircled with the high glamour of hope. And at the end, each one has brought its great burden of disappointment-until this one we are now closing. As I look back upon the broken promise of a string of years from 1929 to 1935 I think of the little poem about the string of "empties:"

,N. t rl.

Have you ever sat by the railroad track

And watched the empties coming back?

I have-and to me the empties seem

Just like the dreams f sometimes dream

Of a girl<r money-or maybe fame;

My dreams have always returned the same, Swinging along the homebound track

Like a string of empties coming back. ***

This year they have not come back empty, as in the previous years. The year 1936 ends with a burst of high enterprise, enthusiastic business tempo, extravagant hopes and predictions of things yet to come. I heard the VicePresident of the Ford Motor Company say the other day that we didn't know as yet what prosperity really means; that a tide of prosperity is facing the people of this country that makes the best we have seen and known in tho past look shabby by comparison.

**:N.

The notable events of the closing week of 1936 will themselves help to set the wheel of prosperity turning double time in the beginning of 1937. From one end of this land to the other big employers have been paying out bonuses to their employes before closing their books for the year. Whether this was caused by a spirit of philanthropy, a fear of the surplus profits tax, or the deliberate choice to give a lot of money to their employes rather than give it to the

Government for income taxes, matters not. Countless millions of cash have gone into circulation, will swell the veins of business, and will come back to every worth while business in terms of increased demand for its products and goods.

Looks like one of the ol*]r. i',ouaay seasons in history, not only since 1929 but even before that. The stores are crowded from Coast to Coast with millions of people rushing around with apparently plenty of money they are eager to spend. And they aren't buying cheap things; they are really putting out cash for quality goods. I hear lots of actual experience sto,ries that sort of make you gasp about the money people are spending for the holidays.

*'F*

Makes me think of the famous question the little Jewish boy asked his father: "Poppa, where do these Gentiles get all this money we are taking away from them?"

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The year 1936 ends in a blaze of glory for the lumber industry. A heavy and general demand for lpmber and lumber products-the heaviest of the entire year-marks the closing weeks. The entire national situation is of that character. Lots of building, lots of repairing, lots of planning for more building and repairs to come. One big mill man said to me when I talked advertising to him a few days ago: "I'm like the fellorv in Arkansas who couldn't fix his roof when it rained, and didn't need to fix it when the weather was dry. A year ago I couldn't afford to advertise, 'and now I've got so much business I don't need advertisitg." (Weep for the poor lumber journalist.) ***

And 1937 enters upon so fair a prospect, so far as the lumber industry and its allied industries are concerned. Never in history has a year known so auspicious a start. Opportunity seems to knock at the door of every man with something worth while to offer the world. This should be a year of activity, of throbbing energy, and of useful profit for lumber, cement, paint, wallboard, shingles, roofing, and for every useful building material.

And a stewardship "orJur*ao1n" o,r,rurrrg industry and all these building lines along with this glowing opportunity; the stewardship that says, "Give service, give ample thought to your business, give keenest attention to the consumer and to the public, and see that YOUR hoped-for success is based on HIS profit. The building merchant who succeeds will be he who aims to make profits WITH his customers-not FROM them."

' The public demands, ""1 nl, J right to expect, the building industry to give it products and ideas of service in keeping with the times-in keeping with the products and ideas and service which the most progressive of our industries are giving. This does NOT just happen; it has to be planned and executed. 1937 is going to be to the building industry what the building industry DESERVES. It can be great or less in exact proportion to its worthiness. **t

In this day of streamlining everything, why doesn't some architectural genius get to work on streamlined homes? ft CAN be done, easily. Streamlined bungalows; streamlined story-and-a-halfers; streamlined double-deckers; with all the modern conveniences tucked away handily and attractively like they are in streamlined autos. The building business cries aloud for modernization. *,i*

One of the drawbacks to the present building situation is shortage of men to do the building. From one end of this country to the other you hear the cry on every hand-"\fl/s can't get men." And that isn't just skilled men. Help of all sorts is hard to get. Any cafe proprietor from Maine to Oregon will tell you that lots of men every day ask him for a free meal, but none of them are willing to wash the windows to earn it. Not on your life !

The relief rolls remain*r"J*" lnd corrtinue as a burden and a harassment to every locality and to the local and National Government. But help is scarce.

*** rFt<*

As we swing into the new year with all of its high hopes and promises, let us thank God we are on THIS side of the Atlantic. Look at poor old Spain ! Did you ever expect to live to see the horrors of the French Revolution done over again-with extra trimmings? Yet the fiendishness displayed in Spain in the past few months makes the terrors of the French Revolution loo,k like child's play. Poor old Spain ! Communism and Fascism-a pestilence and a famine-fighting for possession of her once proud hills and dales ! The land of grapes and sunshine, of Dons and Senoritas, of romance and col,ored shawls, of guitars and grated windows and lacy mantles-torn asunder by the harpies ! Regardless of which wins, Spain loses !

Reports from Soviet Russia say that they expect to have a population of three hundred millions in that country by 196O, in the natural course of events. Ilowever there seems to be a somewhat concerted plan on the part of a million or so little brown-skinned, bandy-legged men of Nippon; a few millions of Mein Herr Hitler's devoted lads; and several score brigades of that frowning Signor Mussolini's boys who wear the two thousand mile shirts; to cut that total down quite considerably.

The only possible reason I can name for supposing that they may not start the big racket at once is the fact that they are threatening each other so vociferously. If the old, old axiom which says that "barking dogs don't bite', is even partly true, then the thing may blow over, for never beforre in history has there been such appalling ,,barking.', However, Mr. Stalin, the big shot at Moscow, is quoted as saying that nations do not declare war any more; they just start fighting. If this gang fights half as bad as it talks the war won't last a week; there'll be no one left to battle.

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Believing as I do that the world gets better all the time, that from every possible measuring point this is true and has been continually true ever since this country was instituted by the hand of God, and will coortinue to be true so Iong as the form of Government handed down to our inspired forefathers endures, I enjoyed reading the other day the worrds of Graydon Stetson, a Red Cross wheel-horse of the Boston territory. He was answering the remarks of a man who had thundered against ,,those who have" in this country. Mr. Stetson said: ,'All this bunk about ,exploited labor and a sq/eated public' is so overworked. Of course there are fools, and of course there are knaves. And the knaves rob the fools and always will, but-and what a .but' it is ! But exploited labor and sweated public live today on a scale of luxury, comfort, and culture that would make the nobility of Europe of three centuries ago look like filthy slugs under a rotten log. Time marches on ! And it marches upward at a slow, halting, but continuous rising pace."

I. hereby nominate o".iu,*ori.e of windsor, for President of the optimists club. Any man, King or commoner' who accepts a third husbandship, magnificently illustrates and exemplifies the final triumph of hope over experience. And as for her, I shall always contend that any woman who marries the third time didn't deserve to lose the first two.

)N<++

Everyone on earth has mouthed and mumbled about the King and the Commoner for the past several weeks. But there is one phase of the thing that hasn't been properly approached by anyone, and that is the domestic situation that will arise if the two marry. "You gotta think of that" as the Two Black Crows used to say.

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What is poor little David going to do when there are storm clouds on the domestic horizon, and she says to him, with some scorn in her voice: "Now, when I was in the Navy-"-?

Or again she may say: "Well, you can talk all you please, Duke, nobility may be O. K. but this Simpson was really a very remarkable fellow."

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What's he going to do? What can he say? He can't get out of it like he used td get off his horse when he was Prince of Wales-just fall off. Of course, if he has a good public relations man to coach him he may hand her a line like: "Listen, Delilah, was that Simpson or Sampson you were married to?" Or again he may cuttingly inquire why she didn't join the Marines when she left the Navy, or something like that. But I'll tell him one thing; she's going to be boss, just like ihe was a couple of times before, and it won't hetp him a lot to strike an attitude and recite-"If I were King." That won't help. She knew him when he was.

Alagkans LikeHollywood Door

A sash and door jobber in Fairbanks, Alaska, recently reported to the West Coast Screen Company, Los Angeles, that the Hollywood combination screen and metal sash door is gaining in favor in Alaska. The report quoted in part from a letter written to them by an Alaskan lumber dealer as follows: "We received the Miss Hollywood combination door, with adjustable sliding panels, and have it on display in the office. We have received considerable favorable comment from everyone coming in, and from orders already received we know this door will be a big seller."

Busincss Outlook For 1937

The business outlook f or 1937, according to the analysis of the lumber situation for the fourth quarter of 1936 and the first quarter of 1937, just issued by the National Lumber Manufacturers Association, indicates f urther gains ahead but at a slower comparative pace than in 1936. Increased acitvity in building materials, freight car building, farm implement and furniture manufacture are indicated.

Activity of foreign buyers presages the largest export volume in five years, especially in softwoods.

Building ,construction in 1937 is expected to rise approximately 40 per cent over 1936, u'ith private building making rapid gains. Total ,construction in the first ten months of 1936, measured by contracts awarclecl ancl including public works, was 63 per cent above the similar period of 1935. Farm construction and repair rvork are going ahead rapidly in the Northwest as a result of good crops and good prices. The fall trade in millwork has been the best for the season in many years, both in the Southern hardu'ood ar,cl pine plants and in the milhvork centers of the North.

With recent replacement of large equipment orclers from three trans-continental railroads, including box and refrigerator cars, calling for considerable quantities of lumber. the prospect for heavier railroad pur'chases early in 1937 is good.

The outlook for 1937 for the furniture industry is especially bright and its use of wood shorvs no abatement.

Less wood per unit will be used in the 1937 passenger models in the automobile industry and also in truck construction and for trailers, but the greatly increased production of the latter is expected to more than ofiset the loss per unit. Plywood ,continues to be extensively used in heavy trailer production. Oak floor orders recentlv have shown large gains over preceding rveeks. Softwoocl rnill stocks on January 1,1937 are estimated at a gain of 2l per cent overtOctober l, 1936, and 5 per cent over Janttary l, 1936. In the past four weeks nelv orders have gained materially over output.

The price trend of building materials as a u'hole has been upward since March, 1936. and in October stood at 87.3 on a basis ol1926 as 100. The October price index for lumber was 86.1. the highest since June, 1934. It compares rvith 84.9 in September 1936 and 82.0 in October 1935.

Hi-Jinks Brings Out Bis Crowd

The Annual Hi-Jinks sponsored by Lumbermen's Post No. 4O3, American Legion, held at the Los Angeles Press Club, Friday evening, December 11, brought out a big attendance, about 250 being present. Follor,ving the clinner, a troupe of professional entertainers put on a fine trvo hours' entertainment r,vhich included sirrging and clancing numbers, and novelty acts.

The committee in charge of the affair included: Milton Taenzer, Russell Gheen, Ed Biggs, I\faurice Alexander ancl Fred Morehouse.

Spends Holidays In Tacoma

George Eidemiller salesman for rvholesale clepartment of Hogan Lumber Company. C)akland, spent the Christrnas ancl Nes, Year holiclavs n'ith his relatives in Tacoma.