Random Editorial Ramblings

By Jack Dionne

1929 is going to be a better building and lumber year in California than 1928 was. And 1930 is going to be a better year than 1929. But we should be getting along on an asce4ding scale for some time to come. Everything intelligent points that way. The pendulum took a long swing one way-s11d not a pleasant way to the lumber industrybut now it is swinging back. This will be a good lumber year. Next year will be a big one.

**!8 man of his time, a silversmith, a coppersmith, a steel engraver, a ship builder, a dentist, and other things. But ttre most interesting thing about Paul to me, was the fact that shortly after his famous ride a mediocre poet of that day and age, wrote a rhyme on the subject. No one paid much attention to it, and the famous ride threatened to be lost to history until Longfellow read the first poem, and taking the thread of it, wrote his great lyric "The Ride of Paul Revere." The answer is, when you get an advertising rnan, get a god one. Paul had the stuff all the time, but his first ad man failed to "put his story across." Along came a real publicity man, Longfellow, and Paul becomes a hero of the ages'

Today we have a new President of these United States. Business men will watch his progress, confidently and hopefully. Herber Hoover is better equipped and more fully experienced as a BUSINESS MAN than any man who has ever held that high office. And prwious to his stepping into the Presidency he has done more FOR business than has any previous President. We know that he is business minded; we know that he is possessed of business tolerance because he knows the problems of business; and we believe that during his administration American business should lrrow its greatest development. Let's all of us hold up his hand, and pray for his administrative success.

"NATION'S the editorial opinion that the biggest change noticeable in modern business is the disposition on the part of the manufacturer to quit selling what they want to make, and begin making what the public wants to buy. "We have,changed a little from first making and then insisting that the customer buy. We are beginning to find out what the buyer will use and can pay for." Truly that applies to the lumber industry more than to any other we have any knowledge of. From time immemorial the sawmill man brought in his logs, cut them into what he considEred the best items, and offered them for sale. This WILL, this MUST become less and less a volume business, and more and more a SERVICE industry. As time goes on the sawmill man with his log on the carriage ready to cut, will assume the attitude of the meat market man with his side of beef on the block, ready to cut it into any size or shape that the customer desires. He will cut what they want. He will cut it mone slowly for that reason, and he will cut to better advantage for a,ll concerned, himself included. We are heading that way.

Heard a very irrto."tif ;*:* the other day on Paul Revere. Unless you have heard or read it you have no idea what a rernarkable gentleman that famous night horseback rider really was. He was a gentleman and a scholar, to begin with. And more than that he was a famous crafts-

Speaking of advertising and its results, here's a peach of an experience. How long since you first heard of "halitosis?" Quite recent, wasn't it? That word came to human consciousness when the Lambert Pharmaceutical Company began advertising their preventative and cure. You will admit that they invaded new territory. Their advertising was their sales force. In 1921 they spent $50,000 for advertising, and their profits were $61,000 for the year. fn 1927 they spent $4,000,000 for their advertising, and their profits were above $4,000,000. Can you blame them for believing that their profits will be in equal ratio to their advertising?

*rF*

Let's speak of old trees. In California they recently harvested a Redwood tree that had fallen when 2,000 years of age (according to the tree rings which are most reliable authority) and there grew above and over it another Redwood which was recently harvested, and which proved to be 2,500 year old. So the first tree must be 4,500. There is a broad spreading Cypress tree in the churchyard at Santa Maria del Tule, Mexico, which tree sharps say is over 5,000 years old, and is fresh and healthy. There was recently unearthed in the Mississippi River Delta in Louisiana a Cypress log. Geologists say it had been imbedded there deep down in the mud for more than 10,000 years. The Cypress doors that were originally in St. Peter's at Rome, stood there for 1,100 years, and were then removed in a fine state of Preservation'

Another innovation in the lumber business. A well known eastern wholesaler is packing and shipping his stained Red Cedar Shingles in heavy paper packages. These packages are attractive, dust and dirt proof, and practically rain proof, as well as furnishing ample opportunity for advertising on the packages. The top shingles in these packages

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