Annual Meeting of the National Lumber Manufactu rers Association to be Held in Chicaso

Washington, D. C., X{arch 31.-The thirtl'-third annual meeting of the National Lumber l,Ianufacturers Association rvill be held at the Blackstone Hotel, Chicago, on April 25, 26 and 27. It is expected that at that time the National Lumber Manufacturers Association rvill have been reconstitnted as a federation of the American lumber manufacturing industry through the affiliation of the more important regional associations and species groups.

The meeting tvill have a rvicler appeal to the industry than most of the annual gatherings since 1929. The magnet u'hich has particularly drar,vn the regionals together again is the necessity of cornmon industry action and common trade promotion activity. The fundamental group phase of promotion of lurnber and timber produ,cts will be the responsibility of the National Association, leaving the regionals ,charged with the duty of promoting particular species follou'ing the advance rvork by the National. Behind the regional association rvork should be intensive and intelligent selling by individual companies in the markets created by National and regional associations.

The idea is strongly emphasized that the National is merely an extension by united effort into the national field of functions which rvottld otherwise have to be performed individually or regionally with much repetition of effort and expense.

With the per capita consumption of lumber during the ,depression down to European low levels, the industry is 'undoubtedly threatened rvith the possibility of continued' lorv-standard,consumption. Moreover, rival material in.dustries are preparing to fight for the replacement of rvood 'rvith greater vigor and sagacity than ever.

The necessity of a powerful drive in the interests of wood as a whsle, in order that the lumber of individual concerns 'may have a market is becoming more and more insistent. It is futile to make good lumber and rnerchandise it u'ell :if lumber is regarded as out of fashion.

With this theme of common action the annual rneeting 'is expectecl to consider the $'a)'s and means of raising an adequate clefense and advancernent fund and the main lines rvhich the promotion rl'ork shall take-all the rvay frorn helping 'fhe 'retailer to scientific resear,ch designed to e\tract more value at less cost from everl' log.

Critical Legislation Affecting Lumber

Federal legislation affecting the industry is another topic of intense intetest rvhich rvill come before the rneeting. It includes NRA legislation rvith particular reference to the future Iorm .e,f ,the Lurnber Cocle, the 30-hour n'eek bill, the Wagner labor dispute bill. forestry legislation and social rsecurity :pnqposals.

The virtual paralysis of the Lumber Code brought about by the announced intention of the government to suspend efforts to enforce the Lumber Code by withdrawing the crucial Belcher lumber appeal case from the United States Supreme Court, makes the present a tnore critical situation in the lumber industry than trvo years ago when NRA legislation was on the rvay. At that time the annual meeting had to deal rvith the problem of what to do under the "Nelv Deal" in general and a "nerv deal" for the lumber industry in particular. The problem rvhich is now posed before the lumber industry is, rvhat to do ifit is thrown back on its own defensive and recuperative resources, as a result of either the extension or the dissolution of NRA. The stand taken by the national meeting of lumbermen rvill have much to do with the future status of the industry.

A plan for the der.eloprnent of an Export Division within the National Lumber Manufacturers Association, set up and finan,ced by the export organizations, will be submitted to the Board of Directors for approval.

The Directors of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association are hopeful of representative attendance of lumbermen, regardless of rvhether their local or regional ulrits are at present members of the National Association, so that they may have the benefit of the collective judgment and opinion of the industrf in dealing with the problerns raised by the changing national legislative and economic situations.

Frank Curran Buys Retail Yards

Frank Curran, prominent Southern California lumberman and for many years manager of the E. K. Wood Lumber Co.. at Los Angeles, has purchased the retail lumber yards formerly operated by the E. K. Wood Lumber Co. at Santa Ana and Huntington Beach, Calif., and will engage in the retail lumber business for his own account under the name of Frank Curran Lumber Co., Inc. Howard Curran, his son, u'ho has been connected rvith the E. K. Wood Lumber Co. fora long period and formerly in charge of the Pine Departrnent in their l-os Angeles oftice, u'ill be associated with his father.

Visits Los Angeles

Ralph T. lVloore, president, I\{oore Mill & Bandon, Ore., and Carl R. Moore, in charge pany's San Francisco office. recentlv spent a Los Angeles on business.

Lumber Co., of the comfew days in