\(/hat Shall \(/e Do To Be Saved?

By ilach Dionne

And now every lumberman, like almost every other citizen ol this country, is asking himself and most other folks he comes in contact with what may be expected during the months and perhaps years to come, from HIS business. What will happen to it? What may become of it? What can he do about it, with all the tremendous changes that are now taking place every day?

And the answer, generally speaking, is the same one that the preacher got in the age-old story. The preacher was delivering his Sunday morning sermon on a warm summer day, the windows of the church wide open to let in the air, and with a loud and enthusiastic audie.nce watching a baseball game just across the road. And it so happened that when the preacher reached the climax of his effort and cried in stentorian fenq5-"\Mhat shall we do to be saved ?" -the crowd at the ball game shouted wildly-"Slide, you bonehead, slide !"

What the lumber industry in general and the individual lumberman in particular has got to do from now on is simply cut his merchandising job to fit the pattern that now presents itself, and to adjust the effort as fast as the pattern changes. That there will be plenty of changes in the pattern (the pattern meaning the rules, restrictions, and conditions that present themselves and over which the lumberman has no control) as we go along in this great war effort, it would be foolish indeed to doubt.

One of the strongest characteristics of the businessman in such times as these is adaptability. It is likewise one of the greatest needs. Heaven help the businessman who cannot adapt himself to changed and unsual conditions when war comes along. Because business as usual has gone out the window, and business as unusual sits high in the saddle. And so it is today with the lumber industry, and more particularly with the retail end of the lumber business.

For the lumber manufacturer, it looks as though he will continue to have the same huge customer whose business he has enjoyed so much during the past eighteen monthsthe Government. Governmental war needs bid fair to relieve the lumber manufacturer of any worry as to where he.will find a market for the greater part of his product for many months to come, at least. The lumber mills have furnished the Government and Government contractors unheard-of quantities of lumber and other wood products during the past year and a half, but "they ain't seen nothing yet," the way things look today. And the mills are cocked and primed to give the Goveinment orders the kind of service that the emergency demands. Government orders will come first in everything. And they will cover softwoods and hardwoods, North, East, South, and'West.

So, for the time being, we can dismiss the producers of lumber from this discussion of the problems of lumber merchandising in 1942. The millmen generally recognize the situation and appreciate the emergency. But the re- tailer of lurnber is the fellow who has been walking around lately with a large question mark burning brightly in each eye. So let's talk about him. Problems? He's got bushels of them. Troubles? He's well equipped with those, too. But on the other hand there are lots of things acting and operating in his favor.

The first thing in his favor is the fact that there is great need for more and better housing all over this country. The second thing in his favor is the fact that the people in general have their pockets full of money with which to pay for housing or building materials, if they decide to do so. Third, the complete stoppage of the production and sale of new motor cars should be a whale of a factor on the credit side for the man who sells housing and building materials. The money that would otherwise have gone to buy new automobiles-hundreds of millions of dollarswill look around for some other interesting and inviting place to light. And that, of course, is when the live lumber merchant with that "come hither" look in his eye, steps up and offers the lady his arm. Three major assets that point the way to lumber and building sales for L942 are these just listed, and all of them are giants of possibility.

A fourth is the fact that there are no restrictions against building providing the materials from which to build, can be obtained. There has been considerable misunderstanding on that subject, but up to the present time building restrictions have to do entirely with the materials used. One of the things a lumber dealer cannot do is secure "critical" materials "for non-defense use without a priority permit. That, of course, is the biggest worry facing the builder at this moment. But on the other hand there are worlds of materials he can use, and worlds of building he can do, that are entirely unrestricted in any way. There is no restriction on the use of lumber, of cement, of brick, of paint, of wall paper, and various and sundry other building materials. Either with or without FHA assistance he can sell building materials galore for remodeling, repairing, and renovating existing structures.

The lumber dealer is going to have to follow the example of the automobile owner. Finding of a sudden that new automobiles are not to be had, every motor car owner in the country has instinctively turned his thought to the practical matter of seeing how long he can make his present car run. And to do that the logical action is to put the car and keep it thereafter in the very best of condition. Well, that's what we're going to have to do with the homes and other useful buildings of the nation. Put them into the best of shape to withstand wear and weather, and keep them that way until after the duration at least.

It is not given mortal man to see far into the future at any time and particularly in times like these, but it requires no prophetic mentality to realize what such a national program means to the lumber dealer, does it? From now u,ntil "this cruel war is over" the builders of the nation are going to do TWO things: they are going to do all the NEW building that they can within the rules laid down by the Government covering such matters; and they are going to go out into the highways and the byways and see what they can do to put the existing buildings of this land into the best of condition, in order that they may furnish shelter and protection to our people and their possessions until the emergency ends.

Now you can't translate such a program into a set of rules or working regulations that may be followed like a guide book. This is where the human ingenuity of the lumber industry is going to get a grand opportunity to demonstrate itself and its worth. Translate our materials into the language of those things which it is legal and wise to build during times like these. This is no job for a sluggard, either. It means solicitation. It means first a thorough survey of the dealer's sales territory to determine the needs of his territory. It means a most intelligent sales campaign. It is an opportunity for some skillful advertising to reach the nooks and corners of the district. It means reaching every building owner and taking to his consciousness a story of existing conditions, so that he will understand them.

When every building owner learns the facts about building matters, and how important it is that the homes and other buildings of this entire nation be put and kept in the best possible shape, a great tide of repair and remodeling effort will develop. There is no real reason to be the least bit pessimistic concerning business possibilities for the retail lumberman this year. And this sort of business is vital, essential, important business. Keeping the homes of the nation in good living order, is defense work of the highest character.

So the retail lumber dealer should fully acquaint himself with all rules and regulations now existing or that will later develop governing building; he should accept those rules and regulations religiously, and not only live up to them but help enforce them; and he should then apply the pattern of his business of today to the building needs of his territory, and go hit the ball. This is going to be a lively business year for the lumber manufacturers. And there is at the present time no sound reason for doubting that it can be a very active. and useful year for the retail lumber dealer. But with the dealer it is strictly a merchandising problem. The country is full of money. The people that own it have had their opportunity of investing it terrifically reduced and restricted in the past feu' weeks. And each restriction against other spending, is in favor of the building folks.

The long and short of this merchandising sermon is, know and respect all the rules affecting building; and then do all the building you possibly can that is not.restricted. Outside of defense bonds and stamps it would be hard to think of a better investment for American money today than useful and needed building improvements. Boards, paint, wall paper, cement. brick, and other un-critical materials offer you grand opportunities f.or 1942.