Thanks, Mr. Babson

By JACK DIONNE

ttWe have applied all that science and human ingenuity have contributed for PRODUCTION, but we have let DISTRIBUTION look out for itrelf."

Roger W. Babcon, National Forecarter and Student.

Thankr, Mr. Babson!

We have been aaying the rame thing to the lumber indurtry by word of mouth and by tfie written word for many, many years, and are rtill raying it.

In the article on buriner conditions in which Mr. Babron ured the above statement, he made another point that the writer has been trying to imprers upon the mentality of the lumber industry for yean. He eaid tbat too many manufacturerr concider that when they have loaded the retailer up with their.goodr, they have done their duty, whereas goo& are not really: rold until they reach the conrumer, and that the producer rhould help the retailer in every rearonable way to market the goodr.

Of coune, all rearonable men agree this ir a fact, but in tbe lumbcr burinera, probably more than in any other line of indurtry, the producer har neglected hir primary duty.

With euch authoritier ar Mr. Babrcn talking to the buriner nrn of all liner throughout the nation in tbis language and rpirit, farter advancement than in the part may be expected from thore who market their productr throWh retailerr-ar moat producerr do.

More than two-thirdr of all the lumber and forert productr manufactured in the Unnited States today go forth into the world without aelling effort of any kind on the part of the producer; rimply with a DISTRIBUTING efrort to put it in the handr of the dealer.

The entire job of making people decire it, and fmding thoee whd need it, rectr with the lurnber dealer; which wa! never intended.

The men who produce rhoel, and rairinr, and orangee, and hatr, and peacher, and canned goodr, and clothes, and furniture, and automobiler, and conetl, and rhampoor, and everything ehe t'hat you can mention, dcem ft their duty to fmd a market for it.

Not ro the lumbermen. A few, but not many.

Which ie why the lumber market is like the waver on the rcarhore; riring, falling, breaking, receding--conetantly changing, and entirely unde pendable.

Tell tem rome more about it, Mr. Babson. Your circulation ir greatcr than ourr.

I wirh the bankere of the country would refure to finance any indurtry that did not father itr product. It would be good burines for the banken, 'because it would drengthen creditr and stabili".e lumber and building conditionc.

And it would do for the indurtry what the rhoe, and rairin, and chewing gum, and orange follc did for themrelver.