Wholesalers'Annual Snark Riner Guest of -1 ,. LrOnVentfOn

The Annual Meeting Committee is shaping its program for the Convention of the National-American Wholesale Lumber Association to be held at the Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C., April 1G11. Several major matters, aside from the officers' and committees' reports, will be considered under the headings of:

"What conditions are facing the Wholesaler and what is he doing to meet them?"

"The Cost of Conducting a Wholesale Lumber Business."

"The Lumber Wholesaler and Grade-Marking."

Like manufacturers and retailers, the wholesalers recognize rapidly changing conditions in their field, and they realize this situation must be met and not avoided. With most of the lumber productlon distributed through whole. salers, they must be and are alert to keep abreast of the times. Leaders from several regions will meet at the Convention and, analyze and discuss these conditions.

With every effort on the part of the 'ivholesaler to eliminate wasteful methods and at the same time pursue a policy of satisfactorily reaching all their markets, have the wholesalers' costs of business increased or decreased? With the comprehensive survey made two years ago and with the results of an investigation now being made by the Cost Committee, it u'ill be possible to discuss this question intelligently at the Convention, and it rvill be one of the most important items of business.

As in other branches, there are differences of opinion regarding grade and trade-marking, but the National-American has placed itself on record as favoring the principle of grade-marking. With so little of the general production grade-marked and with full appreciation of its acceptance of the grade-marking principle, the place of other good lumber, not marked but sold under association inspection rules, must be considered. Wholesalers see in this a question of great interest to them and the Convention will provide opportunity for a full exchange of views.

Subjects bearing on credit losses, transportation, arbitration and other association activities will add to the program a wide interest of present day discussion. Secretary Schupner states that reports to date indicate a largely attended meeting and that there is a real desire on the part of the membership to ascertain at first hand what is golng on within the industry.

The social features will include a Dinner Dance and Banquet. Special entertainment will be provided for the ladies through an Afternoon Tea and Ladies Luncheon and a Sight-seeing trip around the city of Washington. Reduced railroad rates will be in effect.

ILos Angeles Hoo Hoo r/

w The Los Angeles Hoo Hoo held a dinner and concatenation on Thursday evening, March 2I, at the Commercial Club, Los Angeles. M. M. Riner, Kansas City. Mo., snark of the universe, was the guest of the evening. A large crowd turned out to greet Snark Riner.

Snark Riner was the principal speaker of the evening and gave an excellent address on the work, activities and aims of Hoo Hoo. Phil B. Hart ancl B. W. Byrne, past snarks of the Los Angeles district, E. D. Tennant, past snark of the universe, and Cliff Estes also addressed the meeting. J. E. Martin, vicegerent snark of the Los Angeles district, acted as master of ceremonies. During the dinner hour, music was furnished by a four-piece orchestra and several entertainment numbers were also on the program.

Following the dinner, there was a concatenation and four kittens were led through the mysteries of the onion patch. The Nine in charge of the initiation was as follows: snark, J. E. Martin ; senior lloo Hoo, Cliff Estes; junior Hoo Hoo, C. D. Shufelt; bojum, N. H. Parsons; scrivenoter, Mel Coe; jabberwock, Russell S. E,dmonston; custocatian, M. H. McCall; arcanoper, H. A. Brorvning; gurdon, H. J. Nunneley.

The kittens initiated were: Meyers P. Butte. Pacific Ready-Cut Homes, Inc., Los Angeles; Lawrence S. Turnbull, The McCloud River Lumber Co., Los Angeles; John F. Dodson, E. K. Wood Lumber Co., Los Angeles; and H. J. Lussier, E. J. Stanton & Son, Los Angeles. W. J. Stangor. Stangor Lumber Co., Clearwater, was reinstated.

Luncheon for Railroad Official

Garnet W. Fraser, general agent of the Chicago and Alton Railroad Company, with headquarters in San Francisco, was host to a number of prominent business men at a Iuncheon at the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, on March 19. The luncheon \\'as given in honor of S. G. Lutz, vice president of the Chicago & Alton Railroad Company. The following attended the luncheon: Willis J. Walker, Red River Lumber Co.; J. L. McGoldrick, Spokane, 'Wash., McGoldrick Lumber Co. ; Scott Ennis, Pacific Fruit Exchange; Chas. E. Virden, Pioneer Fruit Co.; A. B. Hammond, Hammond Lumber Co.: H. M. Adams. Western Pacific Railroad; N. K. Lockewood, D. & R. G. W. and Missouri Pacific R. R. Co. ; Paul Shoup, Southern Pacific Company; H. E. Giddings, Pacific Fruit Express Co.; J. L. Harris and S. G. Lutz, Chicago & Alton Railway Co., Chicago, Ill.; and Garnet Fraser.