Activities of the California Retail Lumbermen's Association

By Mrc. J. E. Fraser, Secretary

tr[rs. J. E. Fraser.

First I wish to extend birthday greetings to the California Lumber Merchant, both for myself and for this wonderful Association which I represent, and to tell you that we have appreciated the whole-hearted co-operation rgn ceived from the Cali{ornia Lumber Merchant and your own good self.

This has been a busy time for this Association, for we have been endeavoring to better the Cargo Lumber conditions in California, by getting a Committee from Member and Non-Member IVIills of the West Coast Association to come to California to confer with Committees from the Los Angeles District and the San Francisco Bay District. As you know,'the West Coast Association has gone through a reorganization period, caused by the consolidation of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association and the West Coast Trade Extension Bureau; then, too, the change of secretaries, and the having to wait until Mr. Horace Greeley could take the reins of the Association, has caused much delay in securing the desired conferences, but it now looks as though the Committee from the West Coast Mills would soon come to California to see conditions first hand. We are then in hopes of having the cargo shipments of lumber segregated into straight No. I Common and straight No. 2 Common, just as the rail shipments are now segregated. A bulletin was sent to all California Lumber Dealers on this subject and we have received many letters stating that the dealers are in accord with this segregation, setting forth the reasons therefor, We have received but two letters stating that they are opposed to such a segregation.

The National Retail Lumber Dealers' advertising campaign has also been given much thought and consideration. A questionnaire has recently been sent to all Directors of 'this Association, asking them to either endorse or .disapprove the campaign. To date eight Directors have replied, favoring the campaign, and five have replied negatively. As soon as the balance of replies are received, if the ma- jority favor the campaign, this Association will then get back of it in an endeaor to better conditions for California Lumbermen. The campaign will not be beneficial if carried on in a small way, but if every retail lumber dealer will put into the national advertising campaign the same amount of money as now expended in the daily papers, it will bear great weight, and bring to the attention of the consumer the T umber Dealer, who before has been kept in the background-the home owner dealing generally with the contractor. Much could be said on this subiect. but I think it better to wait until some definite step is taken by the Directors of this Association.

The California Legislature will meet again next January, and we have been 'rvatchful of all adverse legislation bging prepared, and have formed our affiliations with other organizations, and are prepared to again protect the interests of our members. The Contractors' License Law is holding quite a prominent place in intended legislation, and this Association's Legislative Committee will work with other Building Trade Organizations in an efiort to present to the legislature something that will be benehcial to the Lumber Dealer, the Legitimate Building Contractor and the Home Owner.

All of our members have recently received a copy of the California Mechanics' Lien Law, with all amendments to date. I am sure this service of the Association is appreciated, for all information desired can be obtained from this booklet, which, if secured from an attorney, would cost considerable money.

A bulletin will soon be sent to every lumber dealer in California regarding the Uniform Lien Law prepared by the United States Department of Commerce Standard State Lien Act Committee, showing the dealers in California wherein certain sections, if adopted, will destroy the material men's security now afforded under the California Lien Law.

The Pacific Coast Building Officials' Conference Uniform Building Code has had the whole-hearted support of this Association, ind it is hoped that before any cities in California adopt a new Building Code, that the lumbermen will first get in touch with this Association so that we can , give them information regarding the merits of the Uniform Building Code, prepared after several years of effort by the Pacific Coast Building Officials' Conference. This code is applicable to cities of every size, both large and small. This .ife has been fair to all materials used in building. Representatives and technical men from all Building Material Organizations have participated in the preparation of this code.

The two field men of this Association,'Mr. Paul Overend, and Mr. Guy Dartnell, furnished us through.our affiliation with the Northwestern Mutual Fire Association, have covered nearly all of California since our last Convention, rendering services to the dealers in auditing their policies, and serving them in various Iays_ through this Association. A number of new memberships have been brought in by the field men. The dealers generally do not seem to realize 'that these field men are on call, and will come to them if word will be sent to this office; the same thing applies to myself-at any time I can be of service to any local group or dealer in California I shall be glad to do so; this is one of the services of this Association

We are expecting, at an early date, a representative of the Home Modernizing Bureau, of the National Building Industries, Inc., and hope that something can be worked out which will be beneficial to the lumbermen in California. It seems to me that if the lumbermen were on their toes that they could sell a great deal of lumber, etc., for the modernizing of homes already built.

Our 1928 Convention will be held in San Francisco, November 15th to l7th, l92f,., and we plan to carry on the business sessions along the same lines that we did last year. 'We have been pledged the whole-hearted support of the Lumber Associations with headquarters in San Francisco, the San Francisco Convention & Tourist League, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, etc., so we should be able to give all delegates-both men and women-a very interesting and enjoyable time-aside from the business sessions. I forgot to mention that we also had the wholehearted co-operation of the California Lumber Merchant and the Timberman-we always get it, so we are counting on it again this year.

It has been a joy to be associated with what I consider the outstanding, progressive lumbermen in California, who are far-sighted enough to lend their loyal support to this Association, and to be able to work with such men as we have on our Directorate, and with our wonderful and loved President, Paul Hallingby.

There are so many things that we are working on, but which take such a long time before anything in a concrete form can be broadcast, that I could write on for a long time, but the above, I believe, will cover the points which I believe will be of most interest to the California LumDermen.

Edgwood British Columbia Red Cedar Shingles Right Over The Old Roof

There are seven re.roofing jobs for each new home constructed. EDGEWOOD British Columbia Red Cedar Shingles can be laid right over the old shingles. Sawn edge.grain, they positively cannot warp, cup or curl; consequently, they force the old shingles tight to the sheathing and hold that position permdnently. Ve are featuring this fact in our national advertising. We also supply EDGWOOD Dealers with re-toofing literature which enables them to secure a fair share of the re-roofing business in their tespective communities.

NOTE: DEALERS write for particulars of the attractive EDGWOOD Direct.Mail Campaign.

THE CONSOLIDATED SHINGLE MILI.S OF BRITI!'H COLUMBIA LIMTTED, "Tffiit*.,