The Glory of Cooperation

Civilization began when men began grouping together for mutual protection and safety.

The civilization of business lies in co-operatiou through business organizations.

THE CAI/IFORNIA ITUMBER, MERCHANT is a firm believer in the necessity for men in the same line of business banding together to improve their business conditions, and better to serve the public.

It believes that every lumberman should belong to his rightful organization or organizations.

It believes in the glory of being A PART.

In the beginning we note a property peculiar to the English language.

"A PART." Separate those word.s and we make an erpression which mean to join-"A PART."

Bring them together aud. we separate the item of which we speak-"APART."

Perhaps it has been this peculiarity of our language that has caused. us to be, inclividually, "B part 8part" in the industry-ever' man for himself.

We have, too many of us, kept too much within the four walls of our offices. 'We may have had our names on the rosters of our local or state or national trade association, but that was all.

'We have failecl sufriciently to realize that there was a great world. outside-a world in which we had a part-if wo wishecl to take it; and which we were eventually punished for not taking.

Our ruminations have been introspective-we have been prone to nagnify the PART at the expense of the WHOITE; a false mental attitude which has wrought great harm.

Strange to say, we have failed to take a lesson from the fundamentals of our business FOR THE SArrE of our business.

'We know perfectly welt that a builtling must be built according to a well determined plan; we know that in itg design so many pieces of structural timber must be placed to give strength ancl rigidity to the builtling.

A''d. there is uo need to say that we would. not think of attempting to guarantee strength to any builcting in whicb the general plan was followed but some of the structural timbers had been omitted.

Such a procedure would really be unthinkable IN our business-but FOR, our business, that is just what we have been doing for years-and, are still tloing.

A single 2x4 in your yard does not appear to have mnch importance-but IN THE BUIIJDING it is of supreme value.

That value appears only when it I/EAVES YOUR, YAED and goes out into the world ancl DOES ITS REAIr DUTY.

The PIIBLIC recognizes the importance of that piece of 2x4, and of WIIAT IT DOES, and however unimportant it may Beem to one who sees it ON TIIE PIITE, it is ABSOIJUTEIJY NECESSAR,Y IN TEE BUIIJDING.

Take it away and the building might collapse; it hos received a VALTUE; it is of IMPOBTANCE; it has beeome a PART OF TEE WEOITE.

And you-you who occupy IN THIS INDUSTRY the same position as does tl'e 2x4 in the CONSTRUCTION-what of you?

You may think you are but a small man-you may think that you have but a small part to play-but-IN TIIE STRUCTURE OF YOUR INDUSTRY-in the BUILDING OF YOUR COMMUNITY-you are that very essentiel "2o4."

You have a most vital part-a most important role-and if you take your proper place in the STRUCTURE OF TIIINGS as planned. by the Great Architect; if you -anfully hold up against the strains and stressos to which you will be subjected-then you will have the glory of BEING A PAR,T.

Your trade association is a very vital element of your industry; it is the sole means by which the thought of tbe industry can be expressed.; it is the sole means by which the beet ideas may be developed and the wrong practices eliniuated; it is the sole means by which the Government--in time of need-can call upon your industry for help.

The trade association represents even more than "publie opinion," for it can be made a governing power with the right, d.elegated, to be sure, to reward and to punish.

The excuse some merchants give for not joining their trad,e association-that they can't see where they get their money's worth-is a most humiliating eonfession of ignorance and of mental narrowness that they should be ashaned ts make.

The trade association represents the power of nass-a power inherently impossible to individual units-and indeed the only power than can avail an entire industry.

The manager of a 5 and l0 cent store takes$2,000 worth of merchandis_e, displays it so thal it will look like $20,000 worth, and co that it largely sells itself.

The manager of many a lumber yard takes $30,000 worth of lumber and dumps it into stock in such a way that, so far as the public is concerned, it looks like 30 cents.

Is there a thought th.ere?