Robert B. Allen lssues Statement on Curtailment by Fir Mills

Robert B. Allen, secretary-manager of West Coast Lumbermen's Association, Seattle, issued the following statement recently on the subject of the curtailment policy which has been adopted by a number of the sawmills of the Northwest:

The lumber manufacturing policy of quick selling against current production regardless of demand, is, at the present time, undergoing an encouraging economic change, which, by some, has been construed as a curtailment program of some magnitude. The absurdity of such a conclusion is - illustrated by the fact that probably less than 100 mills out of over I,20O in the Douglas fir region are now slowbelling their output.

For three years the industry has been over-producing, operating at a loss, liquidating stumpage, difficult to replace, at the rate of 230,000 acres per year. This has resulted in a number of receiverships, and a more rigid scanning of lumber paper by banks, bonding companies and other financial interests.

BENSON LUMBER CO. RECEIVES SHIPMENT OF MEXICAN LOGS

The Benson Lumber Co. of San Diego recently received a cargo of Mexican mahogany logs at their mill and are now busy working the logs up into lumber. The shipment contained 100 Mft. and came from the West Coast of Mexico. This is the first shipment received at their mill which they are trying out as an experiment. The company officials are optimistic regarding the future of Mexican mahogany and think that this experimental shipment will result in further shipments coming in from the Mexican coast.

IJnder-financing has been the cadse of over-production. That, in turn, has caused distressed selling, in the producing region, but seemingly without corresponding reductions to the consuming public.

Being under-financed, the industry has been and is unable to pile up stocks and carry them through seasonably slack periods. The only remedy, therefore, is less production when demand is light, Some companies are applying this remedy, not concertedly, but as sound individual operating policy.

Concerns that have adopted this policy are not applying it collectively or rvith any degree of uniformity, because of payroll obligations and community responsibility, which varies with diffbrent operations and in different producing districts.

Based strictly on the law of supply and demand, the West Coast industry, which supplies 30 per cent of the nation's soft wood requirements, would be justified in producing 2O per cent less lumber than it is now doing.

WALTER BAKER COVERING OUTSIDE TERRITORY FOR FRIEND & TERRY

Walter Baker, the popular Sacramento lumberman, is back on the Sacramento Valley territory again where he is representing Friend & Terry, the well known Sacramento lumber concern. Walter is well known to the trade in that district and his many lumber dealer friends in the territory are glad to see his smiling cou'ntenance more often. For the past year, he has been with Friend & Terry but his duties were confined to their Sacramento office.