Vagabond Editorials

By Jack Dionne

Why can't these lumber problerns be settled like in the oil industry? The lumber industry would be in decent shape today, even with our reduced volume of consumption, if we were making a decent profit on what we sell. But the competition of the jungle, the law of tooth and fang, is loose in this industry. So it was in the oil industry in California for some time past. Gasoline dropped as low as five cents per gallon, and like lumber, every sale marked a loss. One big company took the l,ead, announced that on a certain date it would raise its price to l9f cents per gallon and keep it there whether they sold any gas or not. All the others followed suit, and the gas war was over. Wouldn't it be grand if we could find some way to do that with the lumber business right now?

Heavy curtailment r, ,"r"0", production continues everywhere. It is heavier even than is generally known. Plenty of big milling firms are making a minimum of lumber who are saying nothing about it for fear of adding news of depression. But the curtailment, due entirely to the inabil,ity of the mills to sell a normal production of lumber, is having its effect. And when buying again approaches normalcy, the climb to decent price levels will not be a long one. As far as small mills are concerned, they cannot live in conditions like these, and nearly every little mill in the entire country has been closed for months.

"The New Era of *"r"iurrlr"rl* "", Reached the Lumber Business," is the headline and keynote of the five page advertisement in colors which the Weyerhaeuser Sales Company features in this issue of this journal. This same spread-eagle message will be seen in many other periodicals throughout the land. Not only is it a wonderful piece of publicity concerning the now thoroughly completed carton package of lumber selling and shipping of this concern, but, coming as it does at a time when most lumber concerns are "pulling in their horns" and cutting do,wn their advertising expense, it will cause much interested cqmment, and will more than likely stimulate optimism throughout the industry. It indicates very practically that, regardless of times and conditions, Weyerhaeuser is going ahead and looking into the future-hopefully and confidently.

Hope and confidence ; ;" ln,r,r" that the lumber industry are very sorely in need of at present. We all agree that it is time of stress that tries the soul of man-not the boom times. As this is written things look somewhat improved in the lumber industry of the entire nation. Nothing erciting, but signs of improvement here and there.

When the National Association of Real Estate Boards met the other day, optimistic messages were wafted on the journalistic breezes. Just before the convention time they ir.ventoried the possibilities of borrowing money for building purposes in 46 cities of the land, and found that there is a billion dollars of ready cash waiting and anxious to be used for building purposes. But it was emphasized that these must be non-speculative purposes. No gamblers need apply. The announcement that the tide had turned and that henceforth the financing of necessary buildings would be enlivened, was sent out to the world.

That's good news. ""a -" ,J"U ,r, the newspapers that "call money" could be borrowed in New York recently for two per cent, and sometimes less. What a difference of opinion. The money available for building must be for non-gambling building. And you pay seven and eight per cent for it. While in New York the financial cetrters will loan money, strictly br gambling purposes, for two per cent. Funny world, isn't it?

Hambone recently ."rl.rl"o* an". Lincoln freed the slaves, Ford freed the mules, and Hoover had freed the working man, leaving nothing whatever for him to do. Little did Hoover and Smith think when; they were in the midst of their enthusiastic campaign for the Presidency, that they w?re fighting for the doubtfut honor of being appointed the official "goat" of the American nation for four years. How grateful that man Smith must be that the South turned Republican.

was talking to a big o"u.-; rianufacturer the other day, and he discoursed on the peculiarities of the lumber dealer. '(I have one dealer in a modest sized town who makes, an average of $500 a month just selling our line of built-ins," he said, sadly, "which is more profit than the average retail dealer in a town of that size is making on his total investment and effort, yet you can't get this average dealer to go and do likewise." True, Brother, true ! My good friend the lumber dealer isn't doing much door-bell ringing, nor is he changing his plans much from those of normal times.

"Practically all the O"*"i" i" "r" getting this season is that which we are creating by special efforts at merchandising," said a well known retailer to me just a few days ago. I had heard the same thing from the same class of men several times in the last six months. And all around us are dealers of the same opportunity who are creating no

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