A Mere Matter of Words

By Mrs. Adeline M. Conner, before the California Retail Lunribermcns' Association at San tr'rancisco.

Upon acfepting the invitation to prepare a paper on advertising, for this occasion, I told h;m. that ail i knew of the subject had been learned from lumbermen. That is indeed the truth. D'ignified, convincing and efiective models of lumber advertising may be found in almost every newspaper and magazine, while helpful suggestions, inqOirinS articles and. technical information are cheerfulli furnished by Lumber Association, Service Bureaus and als6 by individual lumbermen, who, having spec,ialized along Lertain lines are more than willing to help the novice in his efforts to produce attractive, usefut and authentic advertisements. Then,. too, lumrber magazines invariably af-l ford one a liberal education in art of advertising and our own "CALIFORNIA LUMBER MERCHANT,"-brings to our homes and offices the wholesom,e optim.ism and "Go- getter" spirit of that super-adam-Mr. Jack Dionne. I sometimes wonder if we fully apprec'i.ate the privileges we enjoy in having a lumber magazine of our very own?

Lumbermen are doing such excellent work along the lines of pictorial advertising,-billboards, illustrated booklets, posters, etc., and we are so h,eart'ily in favor of displays, exhi'bits and demonstrations, that I shall leave those departments of publicity to those more capable of ,discussing them and devote my part of the program to that type of advertising,-which because of the fact that it makei no especial appeal to the eye, because a "mere matter of urordsr" and for that reason is often underestimated.-or at least not fully appreciated by those who could use it most 'effectively.

ranged words that carry with them evidencc of earnestness and wholeheartedness of men who wrote them. Perhaps we have all unconsciously profited by the sxperience of the young writer who, when asked to prepare an advertisement for an article of merchandise which has since become famous, rvent into a trance from which he awoke to unwind this unique bit of literature. "This delectably delightful article of general utility, has, inherent widhin its cosmos, saponaceous qualities in juxtaposition with an ethereal light someness; rendering it wholly superfluous for its entranced 1 consumer to grope for it in the profound depths of his bathing fountain while engaged in his morning ablutions.'l When this effusion was laid before the advertising manager he read it in silence. Crisscrossed it with many heavv black line and wrote beneath it iust two short words,-r'It Floats,"

Mr. H. L. I\fasterson, Assistant General Manager. of the National Builders Bureau, in an article written for "Helping 'Em Build," said-"Today in order to keep abreast of the times. a man must know twice as manv words as d,id the B'ard of Avon. He must treble the 'r,oe.h"t-r'- ^c 'r'^ master dramatists. Now J\4r. Masterson's ,article was an unusually interestinq and instructive one but on: that one noint, as the Cornish deacon s2irl.-"1 take issue w,ith.him.'l It is not so necessarv that we know 48.000 words. or 100,0C0, as it is that we have the abilitv to use effectively the ones with which we and our readers are already acouainted. Perhaps what we really do need is not more words, but

Advertising of th'is character depencl.s for its results upon clearness, brevity and force. In writing such one remembers that "words are the signs and symbols of ideas," potent for good or ill and that th"ey -"y 6" marshaled in o'rderly array and sent forth, as soldiers of the mi,nd, to infuence. sway and convince the minds of others and convert-them to the sentiment, arguments and dreams which they represent.

Circumlocution, ,poorly organ,ized words, involved sentences and crude expressions are conspicuously absent from lumber adl.ertising, and mixed metaphors are as rare as the fabled dodo bird. One searches in vain for flights o,f eloquence that ever remotely resemble the sample evolved by the young minister-who, at the close of an unusually stirring morning sermon, exclaimed,-"Brethren, after all this stormy voyage, the majestic church floats majestically in statell majesty." And now, dearly beloved, "Why does 'she float?" I's6x115s-she is founded upon a rrock.

Brevity which has'been called the soul ,of .wit, seems to be the over-soul of ltrmber advertising. Lumbermen write ads that are brief, but not too, brief. They seem to have mastered the art of saying the right thing in a few well ar- more ideas to hang our words upon.

To be sure the acquisition of'new words is gn important and fascinating task; and I would be willing to sit down this blessed moment and learn 56,000 new ones if I believed I would then be able to do half as much with them-added to the ones I now use. as Shakespeare di'd with his miserable little collection of 24,0@. Having no illusions upon that score, I still ma,intain that if one can take the short, simple, easily comprehended words of his mother tongue. and weave them into intelligible sentences and paragraphs which carry h,is thoughts, dreams and desires to the minds and hearts of others, he will accompl,ish more thaln the juggler of over-stuffed languages who confounds and confuses his readers and succeeds onlv in concealing that which he wishes to reveal. A very fine example of the inappropri,ate and injudicious use of words was furnished the 'r'illage school whose teacher had invited a learned professor to address a few remarks to the kinderearten class. In the course of his remarks he had occasion to use the word epitome,-"Children" said he, "perhaps you do not know the meaning of epitome. \Vell, children, an epitome is a

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UPS AN dealerrs life w sbmething down, he pay so4nething up.

Home

The lumbcr with ups and dovtms. new customer to pay to get some old customer to

INGERSO,LL ON SPENDING

"I hate a stingy man. If you've only got a dollar, and you've got to spend it, spent it like a King; spend it as though it were a dry loaf, and you the owner of ,unbounded forcsts; that's the wa1,i to spend it. I'd rather be a beggan, and spend,rny last dollar like a King, t}an to be a and spend my money like a beggarl

WOULDN'T SELL

The old lumbcrjacks werc 'rpalking down the strect &r Seattle, hungry, cold, broke, no place to spirits.

Mykerinos of Egypt, who ruled that dismal land, \Vas an Irishman as sure as you were born!

He painted harps upon the Sphinx

Ho chased 15" 53g19fl sourr

And from plates of gold he ate Egyptian cornBut when he saw the pyranaids he shook his ruddy head, "Go on" said he, "and flout the starry dome; Surc, it took great woalth to build yc

An stock ye up wid mumrnies, But nary crayture sner called ye HOME."

Shook

Bill spied a srnalt stoppd ovcr, picked white envelope it up, and that lt spoonful of fine, He tdok a pinch on his contained a it was likd. Then ho took his shoutr4ers and tossing his life, he tirrned to the other and said: "Ges ready. !t/e are going tb hop the limited for

"'What's tonight"" idea?" asked the other. ."We can get just as in Frisco as we can here in Seattle." Then of the stuff his partner held in his hand"

When he isn't finger, and sniffed it another gogd whiff. head with suddenly he took a

"I am down there and buy all the lu,mber cariers on the tako thcrn ou,t of commissibn for six monthq and the Fir market," boasted Bill. took another long sniff, and firrnly declared: WON'T SELL."

,SA WONDERFUL LIFE

It's great to bc an editor

And sit up late at tugff

And scratch your yf,ol

And shbot the

And write and write and write.

Gude Ni

Sandy and Archie were sitgpg in a street car wherla pretty girl got in and smileQ(t Sandy. He tipped his hat t'Do you know her?'" askefarchies "OLffierra well," replied Sandy. '!Vell, tl&t,l*-'s dy6€er "f_:t. beside. her and yotr can introducyfitF," said Arctrie. "Wait a bit" re- plictl Sandy, "she b4firr paid her fare yet." kinda sideways, And directl/she shook mc.

succEss

If you have the love of one good woman and the esteem of others, the confidence of children and dogs, and the respect of your com,petitors, you may fairly claim to be a success.

LOOKIN', FOR A JOB

"L6k herc Bogus," said Co. Whitc, "Do you hapPen know where Ink l[udson is just now?"

over dar in de shade ov de lurnber yahd, lookin' fo' a job."

7h ese 3t rmsVla.nt Vow Dus iness

H. B. MARIS

Ncry Locttion-Officc and Werchoruc

735 3rd SH--Opeo.itG S. P. Depot Honc of WESTMADE PIYWOOD

G. A. Rrcouillrt

HILGARD LUMBER COMPANY

Califoinia White and Sugar Pine

474 Monadnock Bldg. Sutter 4745

O. F. FOI.SOM

24 Calijfotlh St - Doughr r[413

Catifiomia Rcprrrcotativc

H. J. A,NDERSON LUMBER CO. of Portbnd Orcaou

TYc havc oD hand for Inncdlrtc. rhlpncnt trron, ou! South tu Franelrco yard

35fi) TONS NI,'MBER ONE

60 POUND REI.AYING RAIL

With Anglc Berr

CALIFORNIA IRON YARDS CO.

34 Missouri Street Telephone Market l(b2 saN rnaNclgoo

FRUTT GROWERS SUPPLY COMPANT

Manuf,actrrcn of Cdifornia White and Sugar Pine Lumbcr Milh at Suranville and Hilt, Cd.

1SO,Ofi),OOO Feet Annual Capaci$

B. W. ADAMS, Mgr. Sales Dept.

Firrt Nationa Benk Bldg. - San Frenlirco

W. M. BEEBE

259.FIRST NATIONAL BANK BLDG.

SOUTHERN HARDWOODS_VENEERS

Superior Oak Flooring, "America's Fineet"

Send me your inquiriee and orders

Telephone Douglas 9117

DIMMICK LUMBER COMPAIVY

2l C;rllforair Str.cot DougLu t0ll5

-Spccl,rltlcr -

Wcrtott Whitc Crdrr Co. Port Orford Crder

Tillarnook Clcu Fir

HclloF Rcd Coder Shlnrlcr

All ltcrnr -Fhs3pnrcc-llcnlocl

This Space For Sale

CHAS. M. ROSE & CO.

\AIHOLESALE LUMBER 607 Flrtiron Bldgo San Frrncirco Dougila! 6100

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SUGAR PINE

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R. O. WILSON LUMBER COMPA,NY

Wholcnlc Lunbcr Productr

EID Fife Buildiag San Franairco tdcphonc Kcarny ,lll

Fir Spruce Redwood

Port Orford Cedar Red'Cedar Shingle!

Our Redwood Specialties P()s'l'S-s