State Retailers Hold Convention in Oakland

The 20th annual convention of the California Retail Lumbermen's Association was held at Hotel Oakland, Oakland, on October 26, 27 and %.

The attendance, although not a record, was large and 'was representative of all sections of the State.

The various business sessions were well attended considering the big counter attraction of' the Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island.

A number of fine addresses were given by speakers from far and near, and several speakers laid stress on the fact that modern selling and merchandising methods are needed to bring prosperity to the retail lumber industry.

Much credit is due to M. B. "Nick" Carter, Hogan Lumber Co., Oakland, general chairman of the convention committee, and his able ass,istants for the complete arrengements made for the convention in spite of lack of time.

Ihursday Morning

Registration started at 9:30 a.m. This was in charge of Thomas Jacobsen, Piedmont Mill & Lumber Co., Oakland.

Thursday Afternoon

M. B. "Nick" Carter briefly welcomed the gathering and introduced Hon. Wm. J. McCracken, Mayor of the City of Oakland, who greeted the gathering very cordially.

J. O. Handle1 M. J. Murphy, Inc., Carmel, former president of the Association, presided.

Carl Blackstock, Blackstock Lumber Co., Seattle, and vice-president, National Retail Lumber Dealers' Association, addressed the convention on "Our Changing Industry," giving his ideas of the new methods necessary for conducting a successful retail lumber business today. .He told about the radio program sponsored by his firm on which Ann Sterling talks daily to the women. The effectiveness of this program could be judged, he said, by the fact that lz,W people rvrote ,in when asked for their ideas for a model ho,me, rvhich was built from the sugg'estions re- ceived. He concluded by saying "Stop talking to the men about home building."

M. E. Wank of Wank & Wank advertising agency, San Francisco, in a talk on "Residential Building Promotion" outlined the promotio,nal program of the FHA Better Housing Bureau of Oakland, w.hich has found that people are interested in buying complete houses-not parts. He said that the Bureau will gladly pass along its experience to other interested g'roups.

W. C. Bell, president of Lumber Promotions, Inc., and managing director of the Western Retail Lumbermen's Association, Seattle, who was responsible for the arrangement of the afternoon's program, spoke on "Management, Merchandising and Men." Mr. Bell told of the fine job being done by "Westerri Homes Foundation" in the Northwest, and said the West Coast Lumbermen's Association is willing to match dollar for dollar with any group that wants to make a similar effort to that being made by Western Homes Foundation. Mr. Bell stressed the importance of rnanag'ement and in talking about men said, "the men lvh<> are doing fine jobs of managing, merchandising and selling today have worked and are working hard to prepare themselves to do what they are doing."

"The Woman's Point of Vielv," was the subject of a splendid address by Mrs. Bess Gearhart Morrison of Lincoln, Nebraska, who advised the retail lumber dealers that their job is to sell the women, who spend 9O per cent of the money, anyway. She reminded them that they must not be technical when talking to a woman and urged they must never argue with a prospective customer if she is a woman, for "even if you win you will lose."

Hoo-Hoo Concatenation

The International Hoo-Hoo Concatenation under the direction of Bert E. Bryan, vicegerent snark for Northern California and Nevada, and Larue J. Woodson, Supreme Arcanoper of Hoo-Hoo, was held directly after the conclu- sion of the afternoon business session. Full particulars of this appear on another page of this issue.

Dinner and Stag Party

The dinner and stag party in the evening brought out a large attendance. V. J. Herrman, entertainment chairman, was in charge of arrangements. The entertainment program was under the direction of Lane Productions, Oakland. A feature of this excellent program was the fine singing of Armand Girard, well known NBC baritone.

Friday Morning

J. H. Kirk, Southern Pacific Milling Co., San Luis Obispo, and president of the Lumber Merchants Association of Northern California, presided.

The Friday morning program was arranged by J. E.

Iohn W. Firhcr

Mackie, 'Western manager of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association, San Francisco. This was in the form of a lumber construction symposium, which was put under way with brief introductory remarks by Mr. Mackie.

Paul Overend, California Redwood Association, spoke on "Certified Dry Redwood-a Dealer Builder-Upper."

"'Western Pines Build Construction Sales," was the topic taken by C. E. L. Measure of the Western Pine Association, Portland.

"Pre-cut Douglas Fir Framing-a Sales Opportunity," was discussed by J. R. Blunt, West Coast Ltlmbermen's Association.

"Treated Lumber-Its lJses and Economies," was the subject of a talk by A. E. Ferguson, American Lumber & Treating Co., Los Angeles.

"Outline of Wood Treating" was given by J.H. McCune of J. H. Baxter & Co., Los Angeles.

W. J. Ivey of the Red Cedar Shingle Bureau, Seattle, took as his subject "Certigrades Build Quality Weather Protection."

A. C. Horner, Timber Engineering Co. of California, San Francisco, discussed "Opportunities with Prefabricated Timber Structures."

"Dry Built Houses" was the title of the talk by W. E. Difford, of the Douglas Fir Plywood Association, who referred to Jack Dionne's editorial on "Plywood, the Modern Miracle'Wood."

(Continued on Page 14)

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