Join the Leaders!

By Konneth Smith, Los Angeles

Kentteth Smitk

Theodore F. MacManus, Detroit advertising leader, makes the point that, "Reducing the price of coffins will not stimulate the demand."

On rvhich one of my disheartened friends commented: "The lumber dealers in Los Angeles think it would."

If you really believe that, then it can be conceded that the majority of Los Angeles dealers are merely putting their convictions into practice. If, however, you honestly believe that the life-blood of business is profit, it is time to take steps to put your particular business in position to sell merchandise of known quality which at least gives real salesmen a chance to quit haggling and START SELLING.

Every honest thinker in the retail business will admit that grade names do rrot mean anything in Los Angeles under present chaotic conditions; that grades are juggled by many dealers; that many deliver the poorest grade they can "get by" with; that straight No. 2 Common is freely sold to the trade as "Common" and as "No. 1 Common"; and that the lack of definite. uniform, guaranteed grades deprives the uninformed consumer of his right to honest merchandise for the money he pays and likewise makes it imoossible for the merchant who rvould like to deliver good

John McMaster

John McMaster, 82. dean of the Red Cedar Shingle industry, died in Seattle. June 14. Ife was a native of Winchester, Ont., and came to Washington in 1889. He was a former president of the Red Cedar Shingle Bureau and of the Rite-Grade Shingle Association. He founded the John McMaster Shingle Co. in 1901, now operated by his sons, W. C. and E. J. McMaster.

Besides his sons he is survived by four daughters, Mrs. B. A. Terry, Marysville, and Mrs. Hugh F. Fiedler, Mrs.

R. T. Lamont and Mrs. Clara Niemeyer, all of Seattle.

quality to sell lumber up to a standard-because there is no standard.

There is a way out. Three leaders with vision and courage are moving to take their particular businesses out of the class with those who only sell down to a price and set a new fashion of selling up to a standard, They have accepted the opportunity offered by the West Coast Lumbermen's Association to grade-mark lumber here under their official supervision and with the registered WCLA brand. They are offering to all who wish quality lumber, uniform, guaranteed and plainly marked grades that are worth and can be sold at a premium over "just lumber". They are giving their organizations a chance to SELL quality and to get away from operating on the antiquated practice of the PEDDLER, offering uncertain and unknown merchandise and then HAGGLING over the price.

What they are doing all can do who wish. It is not obligatory tojust sit and wait in the hope that some Moses will create competitive conditions which will restore profits without you having to go to the trouble of changing your stocks and your method of selling.

You can do something foryourself. You can join the Ieaders. And please note thatmy suggestion is not that you follow the leaders, but that you JOIN the leaders and HELP LEAD.

H. A. Libbey Promoted

H. A. Libbey, who for the past 15 years has been connected with the operating department of The Little River Redwood Company, Crannell, has been appointed general sales manager, with headquarters at Crannell.

Stockton Mill Burned

Fire of undetermined origin destroyed the planing mill and warehouse of Fisher Bros. Lumber & Mill Co., Stockton, June 4. Loss was estimated at $50,000, and it was announced that the plant will be immediately rebuilt.