Vagabond Editorials

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I talk to lumber folks frequently nowadays who admit that they are making a little money. Of course, everybody operates on reduced salary rates and reduced costs, and the profit is based on the continued low cost of doing business. But the demand for red ink is NOT nearly as great as it was. F'or which, Oh Lord, make us truly thankful. *** rFrF*

I know one retail lumberman who had a string of yards. A year ago he sold those yards to the men who managed them, and took their notes for payment. When he turned those yards over to the men, they were operating at a modest loss. They immediately began to show a profit. Why? Because those men can run their own businesss a whole lbt cheaper than a corporation can run it. They can and do cut corners in dozens of ways that gets the expense down. The former owner is very proud of the situation, and rightfulty should be. Those men are paying out their yards, he has cut off his business losses, he is liquidating his for,mer business in fine shape, and has the satisfaction of giving a lot of good men a chance to become their own masters and owners of their own yards.

As I ride along in my car these days I turn on the radio for company, and I chucHe at the stuff I hear from the local stations and their local programs. Looks like many of the local stores and local merchants are advertising the' same thing; reduced prices, cut prices, premiums, special inducements, etc. A year ago that would have been infringement on NRA. Today it's just the same old-timey scramble for business we always knew.

Uncle Sam will be able to tell with remarkable accuracy in the next few days just exactly how much business has improved in the United States, by checking up the totals of the incorne tax returns. March 15th is the deadline, so the old adding machines will soon be able to tell the story.

*rl.*

Will Rogers said in one of his columns the other day that he did not know who was going to pay our present huge cost of government. If half the stories they tell about Will's wealth and income are true, he ought to be able to tell a pretty good story on that subject. For the big income boy is probably the fellow who is going to pay most of the bill. Which suits me fine. I think everyone should contribute something in the way of taxes to defray the cost of government. And, of course, everyone does,.whether he owns anything or not. .If he rents anything, or buys any.thing nowadays, le certainly pays taxes. But the big bill is undoubtedly going to be paid by the fellow who has it.

And, I'll say this: if they'll let me have the big money or the big income, I'll guarantee to pay my share of it with_ out hollering. If you don't believe it, try me. Just why a man should worry because he pays half of his million dollar income to the government, beats me. What's he going to do with that.other half, anyway?

Of course it's the same old question of whose ox is gored. The poor man says, .,If f were rich I'd gladly p"y iu"oy taxes;" and then. when he gets rich he changes his mind. The fellow with a big income favors ad valorem taxes; and the fellow with a lot of property but modest income favors. income or sales taxes, etc. As long as rye are human, we'll be that way.

Puget Sound Agsociated Mifls Opens Los Angeles Ofike

The Puget Sound Associated Mills of Seattle, Wash., have opened offi,ces at 626 W. M. Garland Building, Los Angeles, with George S. Melville as Southern California representative. The telephone number is TUcker lg21. Mr. Melville has been identified with the wholesale lum_ ber business in Southern California for a long period and is well known to the retail trade. He was formerlv with the Los Angeles sales force of Schafer Bros. Lumber & Shingle Co.

The Puget Sound Associated Mills, which includes twen_ ty mills in the Puget Sound district, have handled the At_ lantic coast sales for this group of mills for the past several years. Recently they opened a California division with C. I. Klopfenstein as manager. Several mills in the group are now affiliated with the california division and will cater to the California market. Mr. Klopfenstein, whose headquar_. ters are in Seattle, was recently in Los Angeles and with Mr. Melville, they called on the trade.

L. B. Ashbaugh on Trade Promotion Work

L. B. Ashbaugh, trade promotion representative for the Shingle Division of the California Redwood Association, is in Southern California where he is carrying.on Redwood shingle promotional work. He will spend about a month in the Southern California territory calling on the lumber dealers.