Leaders And Their Job

by Lathrop K. Leishman Crown City Manufacturing Co., Pasadena, Calif.

With the recent turn in economi,c events there is much to do-but who to do it. As to the master situation, that is the preparing of codes acceptable to the N.R.A. we must have intelligent well constructed thought towards the end in view or our program will not be accepted, hence the type of leadership that will prevail in this endeavor is obvious. They will necessarily be men who can understand what is wanted under the terms of the act and be able to put our problems to words.

However, the second and more important step in this leadership is with the leaders both local and national who put our industry to the buying public.

Before we ,consider what these leaders will do let us stamp a leader. He must be primarily unselfish, he must be devoted to the cause and his followers rather than his own career. He must have confiden,ce in his beliefs and after arriving at his conclusions logically he should hold to them tenaciously. Idealisms must be a part of his makeup and the ability to impart these idealisms will be a mark of his leadership. Finally he must have personality, one that seizes the imagination of his followers and brings them to follow his other qualifications and with the success that comes he must carefully develop other leaders about him to carry on the same splendid ideas with growing enthusiasm.

Now as to what they will do:

First, let them direct the setting of our house in order that we may not spend our time bi,ckering over price schedules but arrive at a program that with efiicient operation and ,correct business methods all ma1' be amply repaid for their efforts from the cheapest of labor to the most effi'cient executive.

Second, design a program of education applicable to each bran,ch of the lumber, millwork and building material industry that will foster thinking among the many minds that are ncnv directed only on the job they are doing. Broaden our thinking that we may make a better product for certainly competing lines are daily making better merchandise than they did the day before.

Third, map a mer'chandising program that will be second to none. Combine the best thoughts of Crane, Sunkist, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Sears Roebuck, and countless others into a program 'that will educate dealers and the public in what we have. Lumber and millwork with its allied lines have equal importance with the ultimate value of the house with that of the architect and contractor. Why not let the public-who just buys a house know this? Lawyers have their clients, doctors their patients and we have our "Chislers" who just want lumber or millwork to "fiIl an opening". Let's put our business on a plane that we may ,call our customers clients, patients or at least something more dignified than a "Chisler."

Let us make it desirable that the contractor or architect bring the prospective builder or home owner to the mill or yard showroom to consult with the expert regarding grades of lumber, kinds of roofs, details of doors, fireplaces, entrances, panel walls, stairways, sash, screens, blinds and countless other things that rve supply to go into the home. Let us have the millwork chosen as the hardware, plumbing, drapes and other essentials of a home are selected' Let us have our competition confined to the best ability to show, talk and merchandise our produ,cts and not to the mere price of. a 24 x 3-0 sash. This program would materially increase our volume for we would be selling wood made mantels, sash, stair rails, cabinets, etc., where they had not been thought of before and in addition we could have a lot of real joy in selling-for this is real salesmanship.

Let us prepare a suitable catalogue of our achievement, not just in black and white and mere words but show the product in use, describe it with romance and color. Show the article in actual use in all classes of homes and follow up with pictures and drawings of the product as it comes from the mill. Give the buying public something to feel, something that they can visualize as it will look in their home. Figuratively let us, "Wrap our merchandise in cellophane".

The efforts in this field of endeavor for our industry are tremendous. Through national advertising the consuming public can be reached and made wood minded. People have as primary interests food and shelter. Daily we read advertisements on food and many things that can be classed as gadgets about the home but one can look in vain to find an ad that merchandises our products as an industry.

Fourth devise wa1's and means of determining new wood uses, new wood products and designs if you please. The automobile, ,chemical, drug, rubber, etc' industries are operating laboratories to determine new uses for their produ,cts and why shouldn't we ? New designs create new desires and with 'these nerv desires come new fields of expansion for our products.

The bloody war we have been rvaging for business life or suprema'cy between individuals and concerns in our industry forgets the law of live and let live as a fundamental factor. It cannot be disregarded without paying the penalty in business ,chaos and loss. We can control the machinery of manufacture and should recognize the need for the control of our individual greeds. With the proper cooperative objectives for the good of our industry we could focus our sights upon this target and find much satisfaction and real joy in hitting the bulls eye. Let's sell our industry.

Unselfish leadership rvill do it.. Let us all put our shoulder to the wheel and follow the leader.

Herbert S. Griggs

Herbert S. Griggs of Tacoma, 'Wash., secretary and a director of the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co., died in a hospital at Olympia, Wash., on August 2l from injuries re,ceived in an automobile accident near Shelton, Wash., on August 18. Ife was 72 years of age, and was born at St. Paul, Minn., February 27,186I. His brother, Major Everett G. Griggs, who was injured in the same accident is recovering from his injuries at his home near Tacoma.

Ife was also secretary and a director of the ChehalisPacific Land Co., C. W. Griggs fnvestment Co., Wilkeson Coal & Coke Co., Pacific Stevedoring Co., and John Dower Lumber Co.

He is survived by his rvife and two sons, Herbert S., Jr., of Southern California and Chauncey L., of Tacoma; two daughters, Harriet L. and Elvira C., of Ta'coma; two brothers, Major Everett G. Griggs, chairman of the board of directors of the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co., Tacoma, and Theodore Griggs of St. Paul; and two sisters, Mrs. George C. Wagner, of Tacoma, and Mrs. Benjamin Tilton, of New York.

Travels To Chicago By Air

Fred S. Buckley, F. S. Buckley Door Co., San Francisco, left by plane for Chicago, August 31 on a business trip. He lvill come back by way of Fort Worth, Texas, where he rvill pav a visit to his mother.