Federal Trade Commission Begins Investigation of Cement Industry

The Federal Trade Commission was ordered bv resolution of the United States Senate on February 16th, 1931, to investigate the cement industry of the United 'States and report on same to the Senate.

That investigation has started. The Federal Trade Commission-appears to have begun its investigation by investigating first the records of the retail lum6er organiza- tions of the coqntry. It is understood that all thJ retail associations have been asked to show all their records with regard to cement, and already a number of the associations have. been personally visited by investigators for the Commlssron.

The information desired from cement dealers is as follows:

1. List of stores, branch offices and warehouses. with locations and products handled in each.

2. List of companies (names and addresses) from whom Cement was purchased during lgD, 1936 and 1931 to date, by main office and each store or branch office. showing:

(a) 9u-antity purchased from each company;

(b) Prices paid;

(c) Terms, such as discounts, return of sacks, etc.

3. Total sales^(quanlity .14_yllue) of cement during each year lgD, l93O and l93l to date, divided as to]

(a) Sales on contracts for specific jobs;

(b) Sales on general contracts;

(c) Sales on open market.

4. State retail price of Cement in cloth sacks. and in paper sacks at main plant and each store or branch office on January l, 1929, and give each change in the retail prices, with amount of change and dati thereof, from January l, l9D, to date.

The resolution passed by the United Siates Senate is the following:

RESOLVED, that the Federal Trade Commission be and is hereby directed to investigate competitive conditions in the Cement Industry and report to ihe Senate of the United States;

(l) The facts with respect to the sale of Cement, whether of foreign or domestic manufacture, and especially the pric-e ac-tivities of Trade Associations composed of either Manufacturers of Cement, or Dealers in Cement. or both;

(2) The facts with respect to the distribution of Cement, including a survey of the practices of Manufacturers or Dealers, used in connection with the distribution of Cement;

(3) Whether the activities in the Cement Industry on the part of Trade Associations, Manufacturers of Cement, or Dealers in Cement constitute a violation of the AntiTrust Laws of the United States, and whether such activities constitute unfair trade practices.

Cafifornia Panel & Yeneer Co, Annual Lumbermen Arran ge lor Santa Monica

Picnic

I The officials, employees and salesmen of the California \f Panel & Veneer Co., Los Angeles, and their families were the guests of Howell Baker, president of the company, for their annual picnic, at his summer home on gatUoa Island, Saturday afternoon, July 18. During the afternoon many of the party enjoyed themselves fishing, sailing and bathing and all remained over for the annuaf'Tourna'ment of Lights at Balboa in the evening. A bufiet supper was served.

Meeting

Harry Allen, president, and H. B. Copeland, secretary, of the Santa Monica Lumbermen's Association, arrangid for the program at the meeting of the Bay Builders' Exchange held at the Castellammare Inn, Santa Monica, on Friday evening, July lO. Kenneth Smith, secretary-manager of the Lumber & Allied Products Institute of Southern California, Los Angeles; A. J. Stoner, Sawtelle Lupber Co., Sawtelle, and Jack Zehnder, West Los Angeles contractor, were the speakers of the evening.

California Architectg Awarded Pfizec

California architects made an unusually fine showing in the fourth annual small house competition conducted by tfouse Beautiful Magazine. Of the sixteen designs which were awarded prizes and honorable mention, ten were the work of Catifo?nia architects. These are included in the group of fifty designs selected from the competition- which ivitt te on exhibition until August 7 in the Achitects' Building Material Exhibit, Fifth and Figueroa Streets, Los Angeles.

California architects who received awards include Ralph C. Flewelling of Beverly Hills, William Wilson Wurster of San Franiisco, Soule, Murphy and Hastings of Santa Barbara, Roland Coate, H. Roy Kelley and Witmer and -Watson of Los Angeles, and Hammond W. Whitsitt of Sap Diego. Second prize for the best example of a _remodeled house was awarded to Benjamin S. Parker of San Marino.

Plywood Office Buildins

Charles W. Buckner, northern California representative for Harbor Plywood Corporation, of Hoquiam, Wash., has built an office building entirely of plywood construction on the second floor of the Building Material Exhibit Building 557 Market street, Sari'Francisco. He will use the building for his own office and for demonstration purposes. The entire interior, walls, ceiling and floor, is made of plywood, and the siding has been furnished by manufacturers of various kinds of siding. Full particulars with a picture of the building will appear in the August 15th issue.

Softwood lmports During M.y

According to figures supplied by the Section of Customs Statistics of the Department of Comrnerce to the Lumber Division, softwood imports into the United States during May, 1931, were as follows:

Sawed lumber of fir, hemlock, spruce, pine, of larch, dutiable: from Canada, 37,463,W board feet; from Russia, 3,178,000; from Germany, 83O,000; from Mexico, 20,0@; from Nicaragua, 18,00O; and from Sweden, 14,000. The above cargo of Russian lumber arrived at Providence, B. I., late in April, but was not included in April figures.

Boards, planks, and deals in the rough or planed and dressed on one side; of fir, hemlock, spruce, pine or larch; from Canada,27,90/.,0N board feet; free of duty.

Other kinds of softwood lumber, free of duty; from Canada, 2,868,00O board feet and from Trinidad, 3,000.

"Buciness is Good" Sayr Tom Sawyer

Tom V. Sawyer, Minneapolis, Minn., sales manager of the Insulite Co., was a recent California visitor where he spent several days conferring with the company's representatives at Los Angeles and San Francisco. "Business is good," Mr. Sawyer stated. "The Insulite Co. has been manufacturing insulation for nearly twenty years and June business was the best in the history of the company," he reported. "And July business," he said, "is going along very well." He attributed this to the company's retail-dealer policy. Following his visit in California, he left for the Northwest to call on the company's representatives at Portland, Seattl'e and Vancouver, B. C.

EVERYTHING IN HARDWOODS

i B. I,I/. Lakin