Lumber Bg -Products, I{orth and Sou th

From Shasta's Lofty Summit to Coronado's Silver Strand

STANDARDIZATION COMITIITTEE OUTLIITES DEFI. NITE PROGRAM FOR ACTION

Prompt and definite steps to earry out the nation-wide program of standardization for lumber and lumber products arid. recommended. by Secretary of Commerce lloover are planned. by the committee of lumbermen of which John W. Blodgett of Grand Rapids, Mich., president of the National Lrumber Manufacturers' Association, is the head.

At the conclusion of a conference recently held at Washington, D. C, the committee had deciclecl on the following definite program: ttTo collect and analyze all information concerning stand.ardization and simplification of sizes, gradis and names of lumber products.

" To submit its findings to the producers, distributors and consumers of Iumber through their various associations.

"To secure thorough discussion of the questions involved and to compare any differences developed. between various associations or interests in the trade.

" To establish by grade-marking and inspection service a guarantee to the lumber using public the delivery of the lxact qualities and. quantities of lumber pur-chased.

"Finally, to arrange a national conference of aceredited representatives of all lumber interests at 'Washington to take final action and adopt specific praetices in all these field.s, which may have the support of the Department of Agriculture through the Forest Service, and. of the Departuent of Commerce."

Three specific measures of lumber standardization are now prominently before the lumber trade; first, greater standardization of sizes; second, greater uniformity in methods of grading; and third, the establishment of efrective means for the application of standard sizes and stand.ard. grad.es.

Great progress has been made in each of these three fields. If the consumer will refrain from demanding that the producer put into a given piece of lumber a Iarger quantity of raw material than is reasonably necessary for the purpose for which the lumber is used; and if producer wiII refrain from thinning his lumber to a point which impairs its usefulness, then both producer and consumer can be accommodated with a lumber product of maximum utility consistent with minimum cost. Great progress has been made in this direction.