Mills LaunchFirmPrice For Rail Trade

. Seattle, Wash., Sept. 12.-Representative millmen, meeting at Tacoma, Thursday, September 11, unanimously approved launching a firm price basis for lumber sales in the rail trade beginning September 20, it was announced today by the West Coast Lumbermen's Association. Colonel W. B. Greeley, secretary-manager of the association, who proposed the plan, was directed by the group to have the program in readiness by that date and to follow, at the earliest possible moment with a similar plan for sales in the Atlantic Coast domestic cargo trade.

Colonel Greeley stated at the meeting that .,we will have 80 per cent or very close to it in the rail market, with the movement supported.by-practically all the larger institu_ tlons ot the industry." By 80 per cent, he expiained, was meant mills whose -aggregate ihip-.rri. in the rail irade last year totaled that pircEntage o? the whole in the classi- ficatio.n. H.e urg-ed- thi industiy to start tn. progr"* *itn the rail trade and then, when it was established, Enlarge its activities to cover domestic cargo markets, b.tinni.t;ith the Atlantic Coast trade. Thii recommendat'ion wis followed by the meeting.

_ The individual firm price plan was explained by Colonel Gr,eeley as. meaning ari indii,idual list ti be issu6d by the mlll contatnrng. t!-e manag'ement's own prices and condi_ ttons of sale; this list to be firm until supplanted by another list from the same company. New or coriected lis[s may be issued as often as the -mahagement wants to but no sales are to be made during the fife of the list at lower prices than those published by the mills.

A poll of those-present at the meeting regarding their operating plan^s indicates that the present prod-uction-sched_ ul.es-below.50 per cent of capaciiy during recent weeks- wrll be continued at least until the first of the year.