Vagabond Editorials

Bv Jock Dionne

'tir$&ig&ild l*8*l' l i'l' Happy New Year! *rt+

Ho#s this for a New Year's prayer? ..Give me, Oh Lord, a sense of humor, so that I may witness the antics of the world about me, without screaming aloudt"

Or shall we choose ""n" a"-*ncher,s prayer,, by Oscar Rush:

"Let me be easy on the man that,s down, And make me square and generous with all; I'm careless, Lord, sornetimes when I'm in town, But never Iet them say I'm mean,a4d sfnell.,'

We are standing at this moment at the junction of two years. 1937 was like unto the month of March. ft came in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb. Business was wonderful when 1937 opened its calendar. And it got better for six months. Then-Zowie ! The year ended as flatly as it started enthusiastically.

And what of 1938? That's the one big question that every thinking human is'asking at this moment. Someone has said that "these are trying times.'l They ARE. They REALLY are. Everyone trying to decide whether this is a Recession or a Depression. The Republicans are blaming present conditions on the Democrats. The anti-New Dealers are trying to hang it on the New Deal. The New Dealers are trying to hang it on the stock exchange and on the "economic royalists." And all of us small fry are trying to get cash enough together to pay what Christmas cost us. Tryrng times, indeed I

But what of the coming year? To save my life I cannot figure out that the slow business conditions of the last three months are the beginning of a new Depression. There are none of the conditions existing that make Depressions -with one exception. That exception, as acknowledged by every human that discusses it, is lack of confidence. That is our only trouble.

Take the building business, for example. There is greater need for homes and other buildings in the country today than there was a year ago today, when business in building was booming. And there is more money available to buy buildings with than there was then. Everyone

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knows we need homes in all parts of this land. But for weeks the building market and the building material market has been dead as Cicero. The only difference between today and a year ago today is that people who build got a scare last fall, and that shadow is still over us. There is no other physical or financial reason for this situation. *rfrf rm looking ro, " a""il"o* rrrln-rr"ment in the tumber business before the New Year is thirty days old. Building material prices are down. Labo.r costs, unfortunately, are still at their 1937 peak, and it is probable that the building crafts are trading high hourly scales for low weekly envelopes. A reduction in ALL building costs would do much to encourage a return of building activity. *** tt:t*

So I see no good reason why it should not pass; no good reason why there should not be a fairly rapid resumption of building, and of the sale of building materials. The proposed'revision of the Federal Housing Act would help a whalg of a.lo$r*rihfrpuld not perform the miracle of lifting all business out of the muck, as some folks think, but it would raise the general average of business a lot, and help the lumber business to beat the band. It would furnish lotsof work for lots of people, both buitding mechanics and makers of building material.

Things are happening in Washington that are taking some of the fear off of business men. The return of the wage and hours bill to committee will have that effect. A demonstration of power on the part of a growing number of opponents of governmental regulation of business, will help relieve the tension that investors feel. The fact that there is a bloc in Congress that is willing and able to fight unwise legislation, will do more than any other one thing to loosen the bonds of industry, and start the wheels turning. ft is interesting, indeed, to note the way the people and the press are turning to Vice-President Garner, and hailing him as a sane and conservative leader who may be depended upon to block destructive legislation, just as he did last summer.

It is almost certain that after the first of the year, Congress is going to take some action with regard to the punitive tax bills it passed so hurriedly two years ago. That will help. Some modification of the Wagner Act that would make it, as it was intended to be, an instrument for curing labor troubles, rather than creating them, would help the consciousness of business, also. And then, if Congress will show its determination to proceed legislatively to work for recovery and productivity, rather than for reform and regulation with dl its attendant restrictions and fears, 1938 could easily follow the example of the month of March, and go out like a business lion, in a blaze of glory. ***

We have only got to get rid of the thing the power magnate was talking about. fn November the papers told of a conference between a big power man, and President Roosevelt. The power man made the statement that his group is ready and eager to start a billion dollar expansion and

Announces New Appointments

Effective December 1, John R. Gray, general manager of The Diamond Match Company, Chico, Calif., announces the appointment of R. A. Colgan, Jr., as production manager; I. E. Brink, manager yards and stores, and B. H. Taylor Anderson, sales manager and purchasing agent.

Mr. Colgan's division comprises: timber and sawmill operation; millwork and box factories ; wholesale lumber and box shooks; and orchards, plant grounds and buildings.

Mr. Brink's division comprises: retail yards and stores; apiary department; transportation, and purchases.

construction program that would give huge employment. The President leaned forward, eagerly, and asked: "Then why don't you start?" The power man replied, "Because we can'tsell our securities on account of the" -he paused a moment "because of the general feeling." The President leaned back. He didn't ask what that "general feeling" was.

Personally, I think .r,ilg" "rJ happening fast, and will continue to happen in 1938, that will replace that "general feeling" with a lot of the confidence that has been so definitely lacking, even during the early part of 1937 when business was so mighty good. And if it does, we are going to have a grand business year in 1938.

Will Serve on Congervation Committee

Gordon Manary of Scotia, logging superintendent of The Pacific Lumber Company and vice-president of the Pacific Logging Congress, has been ,named to the Conservation Committee of theNorth Coast Council, California State Chamber of Commerce, to represent the redwood lumber industry.

One of the best known lumbermen in the west, Mr. Manary is also an authority on fire control and an exponent of practical conservation and management of natural resources.