The Central Valley Lumbermen's Club

By President W. H. Falconbury

My observation for the last several years of the work of our lumber clubs has convinced me that there rvas very little efiort put forth to do anything constructive for the lumber industry.

The main purpose seemed to be to furnish a means through whicfi th1 dealers could keep in contact and continue -their acquaintance and friendship with other dealers and also meet nerv lumbermen. This I believe would justify maintaining a lumber association. But I do not believe better wholesale firms are just as much interested in the industry being put on a high ethical standard as the retailers and that ihiy will be inxious to co-operate with us in work of this kind. As far as we have proceeded developments have proven our theory to be correct. There is a very fine spirit of co-operation between the wholesalers and retailerl and we are looking for great things to be accomplished along these lines. these to be the main objects for which lumber associations were created, Being convinced that the lurnber clubs have a more important purpose, I suggested at the close of last year that during the present year, our club endeavor to do some real constructive rvork.

The only way in which we can accomplish very much is by appoiniing i committee to handle the diffe-rent problems t6at arise in our business and then keep everlastingly at it. The trouble is that talk is the cheapest thing in the world, we all like to tell about what a bad man the other fellow is, but no one wants to pay the price and do a little work to make conditions better. - We Lave the remedy for most of our troubles in our own hands but are just too lazy to use it. We have started this work and are going to keep at it for a'while at least, and when we get tired, as in the past, and conditions become bad again, let's not kick at ihe other man but look for the trouble right at home.

The other subjects in our program, lve are goilg to take up one at a time and when the year is ended, I -hope we cin look back upon it as having been a profitable period in the history of our club.

I happened to be elected President this year, and immediately went to work to try to put into efiect my own suggestion. The discussion at our first meeting was in the naiure of a program for the year's rvork. Robert Inglis, one of the loyal members of our club, led the discussion and suggested that we make our work educational and constructive. That we discuss questions which were vital to tis in our every day business. He suggested that we take up such questions as Trade Ethics, particularly between wholesaler ind retailer, Credits and Collections, The Lien Law, Signing Contractors' Bonds, Selling the Complete House, Co-operation, etc.

Up to date we have only discussed Ethical Practice and the next subject will be Credits and Collections.

In the past, "Codb of Ethics" had been a very dry and uninterestiing subject rvith us but in this case it #as so interesting that the subject rvas discussed at four of our meetings,lnd not by just a few of the members but every member pr€sent had something to say. This subject was treated from the angle that to be able to accomplish anything it must be through the co-operation of all lines of the induitry. So many times in the past when lumbermen have tried to do arrything along this line it has been a onesided proposition wh'ere only the retailers were considered. But we have proceeded upon the theory that the mills and

In order to broaden the scope oi our activities and usefulness, we have appointed a committee of three, consisting of Robert Inglis, eliairman, R. F. Wells, and Geo. A. Good on a commiitee known as an Inter-club Relations Committee. At our request the Sacramento Club has also -ap- oointed a similar iommittee and we are asking the San ioaquin Valley Club to do the same. The reason for this is aiparent. it tne three lumber clubs in these two great Valieys all co-operate in helping to solve our problems, they will be a great influence for good.

I hope that every Club in the State will make a check-up to see-if it is reaily trying to do very much to help the lumber business and if not, will outline a program as we have done and then go to work.

Fred Golding Loses Driving Crown

Fred E. Golding, of the Fred E. Golding- Lumber Comoanv. Los AngeleI, has lost his crown, as champion driver lrorir'porttattd to Los Angeles, according to a report let loose last week.

Fred's record, made last summer, -rvas thirty-six hours, actual driving time, between the two cities, and this mark has bebn unbioken since Fred hung it up last year'

Now comes one H. G. Clark, of Seattle, stating that he made the trip in an hour and a half better time, thereby ;;;id Fted mu.h mental anguish. Clark state that his ;i-; iir; Fortland to Rosebeig was eleven and one-half tto"ir, from there to Woodland, twelve and a half and but ten ana one-half from Woodland to Los Angeles' Wonders never cease.