Coast Hardwood Distributors Meet at Del Monte

Wm. T. White, president of White Brothers, San Francisco, was elected president; Norman Sawers, of J. Fyfe Smith Company, Ltd., Vancouver, B. C., was elected vicepresident, and Don F. White, White Brothers, San Francisco, was elected secretary-treasurer, at the 16th annual convention of the Pacific Coast Wholesale Hardwood Distributors Association, held at Hotel Del Monte, Del Monte, Calf., on April 28, D and 30.

Business sessions were held in the mornings of each day. A number of carefully prepared talks were given on subjects of importance to the members, and earnest discussion followed most of these addresses.

Almost every member present joined in the discussion of the unloading-in-transit tariff, and it was decided to make every effort to persuade the railroads to withdraw the unloading-in-transit privilege which has been in force for more than a year, on the grounds that it is detrimental to the business of the members, who maintain large stocks in their yards.

A discussion of the idea of promoting the use of the low grades of hardu'oods for interior trim by calling de-

Convention

fects or blemishes "character markings," was launched with a talk on this subject by Secretary-Treasurer C. R. Taenzer. The convention decided to cooperate with Southern Hardwood Producers, Inc., in their promotion work to be started soon to popularize "character-marked" hardwoods.

In his concluding remarks to the members, President Frank J. Connolly said he believed the Pacific Coast will have large building programs for many years to come, and expressed the hope that their Association will start a campaign of advertising that will give them a greater volume of business by regaining for hardwoods some of the business that has been lost to other materials.

The convention was called to order on Thursday morning by Frank J. Connolly, Western Hardwood Lumber Company, Los Angeles, president of the Association. The minutes of the last meeting were read and the treasurer's report presented. This was followed by the appointment of committees by the president, and sectional reports on business conditions by members from the various districts.

Walter Scrim, of Los Angeles, president of the Philippine Mahogany hnport Association, addressed the convention on the "Philippine Mahogany Case." This address is prirlted in full elsewhere in this issue.

The first round of the golf tournament was played on Thursday afternoon.

President Connolly read telegrams on Friday morning from J. Fyfe Smith, Vancouver, B. C., and D. J. Cahill, Los Angeles, who were unable to be present.

At the suggestion of C. H. White, White Brothers, San Francisco, a congratulatory telegram was sent to Ichabod T. Williams & Sons, New York, on the completion of 10O years in the hardwood business.

It was decided to hold the 1939 convention in San Francisco.

P. R. Kahn, Forsyth Hardwood Company, San Francisco, membership committee chairman, reported two new members, Penberthy Lumber Company, Los Angeles, and United States Plywood Corporation, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Ralph Hill, secretary-treasurer of the National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association, Memphis, Tenn., spoke on "Oak Flooring from thc Manufacturers' Viewpoint." At the end of his talk Mr. Hill answered a number of questions.

Discussion of the "Uuloading-in-Transit Tarifi" was led by President Frank Connolly, who reviewed the history of this privilege that has been granted to manufacturers and told of the efforts that have already been made to get the tariff cancelled. On his suggestion it was resolved to appoint a committee of San Francisco members to meet with representatives of the railroads and work for the abolition of this privilege.

On Saturday morning the new officers and directors were elected. The new directors appointed are: Norman Sawers, Vancouver, B. C.; Roger Sands, Seattle; Paul Smith, Tatoma; A. E. Wanke, Portland; Bert Bryan, Oakland; J. E. Higgins, Jr., San Francisco; Henry Swafford, Los Angeles, and Jerry Sullivan, San Diego.

John Clugston, secretary of the Hardwood Institute of Southern California, gave a splendid talk on "Trade Activity as it Pertains to the Distribution of Hardwood Lumber and Allied Lines." the president remarking that Mr. Clugston had given them much food for thought.

"Foreign Hardwoods Most Used on Pacific Coast," was the subject discussed by C, H. White, San Francisco. This is printed in full in this issue.

Norman Sawers, J. Fyfe Smith Company, Ltd., Vancouver, B. C., received a big hand for his thoughtful address on "The Possible Effect of the Lumber Industry due to the Readjustment of Trade Agreements with the British Empire."

Jack Brush, Brush Industrial Lumber Company, Los Arlgeles, was assigned the subject "Attitude of the Small Yard Towards His Larger Competitor." The consensus was that he did a good job.

"Character-Marked Hardwoods," was the topic presented by C. RobertTaenzer, American Hardwood Company, Los Angeles. In the discussion following this talk Ralph Hill announced that Southern Hardwood Producers, fnc. is preparing a special book on character-marked hardwoods, and that later this organization rvill put field men on the Pacific Coast to bring this idea to the attention of the architects.

A resolution was passed commending this action of

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