The Association Ideal

By Jack Dionne

The California lumber merchants have just met.

Which brings up the thought of such organizations and of their activities and possibilities.

A business associatirin is an organization of men or of firms that have banded and grouped themselves together for the purpose of promoting the welfare of their industry, and better serving the public.

If it attempts the first of these accomplishments without likewise aiming at the second, it is doomed to failure, because on that foundation and that only has a business organization a right to exist.

A business association of the right character strives to give its members a better attitude toward one another, a better insight into their own business, and better educate them as public servants.

Any individual business establishment is invariably an expression and reflection of the man who controls it, and we know that fine establishments are built by men with fine souls.

And when business men in the same industry are grouped together in an association, the fine ideals of the individuals naturally permeate the structure of the organization itself, and thereby create in place of individual power for great good, MASS power for great good, which reflects itself automatically in the general activities of the organization, and in the individud efforts of its members.

Rotary Clubs and Kiwanis Clubs-for instance-have lived, and grown gt'eat simply because they are composed of men who have grouped themselves together with no selfish aim in view other than self-improvement, and have created an intensified ambition aiming at a higher and better business ideal that imprints itself indelibly upon the business affairs of the city in which it works.

And so should trade associations work They should create a mass power of improved business intent that should help every one of their members to better serve the public, better serve themselves, and better understand and appre.ciate their competitors.

Splendid physical things do trade associations do for their members, but the effect a good association has on UNSEEN things-.sgenuinely spiritual things-is far greater. If they can sell a man on the idea of the bigness of his business; on its power of accomplishment for great good to the locality it serves; on the thought that HE must carry the message of the industry to HIS local people in order that they may understand and respect it; that HIS is the responsibility of properly representing his great industry in his town; you have done much for that industry in that town.

Such a mental attitude will make him scrupulous as to every outward manifestation of his business, its appearance, its stocks, its service, its respectability and integrity, and its general standing with the public- And wbco yo have done that for a business man, you havc dmc Gacrrthing for him-

And YOU, Mr. Individual, don't fail to realizc and p'ro' duce YOUR share. Don't remain APARf. Bccomc A PART ! You may think you are onty a 2z1in tbe indurtr5z, but remember that without each neccssar;r 2r{ the 3tnrc. ture will be weakened-

You have a most vitd part-a mct inportant roleand if you take your prop€r place in tbe STRUgfURt OF THINGS as planned by the Great Architcct; if you ranfully hold up your part against the strains and strcascs to which you will be subjected, then you will how tte glory of being A PART.

There is NO glory in remaining APART.

Your trade asqociation is a very vital elenent of your industry; it is ttre sole means by wbich the tbought of th industry can be expressed; it is the sole means by wbicp the best ideas can be developcd and wrong eliminated.

The trade association represents ttc po'wer of mass, I power inherently impossible to individual rmitl

The excuse you so often hear for not joining trade asro ciations-that ttrey "can't see what thcy get for thcir money"-is a hopelees confession of wrong thinking.

If you haven't any other raason for joining it, pay you dues in order that YOU UAY STRENGTHEN IT BY YOUR EXAMPLE, YOUR HELPFUL ADVICE, YOT'R HIGH IDEALS.

If the association needs YOU+hcn JOIN ITI

Or-if YOU need the association-JOlN ITt

One reason is just eractly as good as the othcr so log as you follw it"

Don't remain APART!l

BE A PART! A strong, rctive, hclpful, worting PARf. For of such is the Kingdon of Bcttcr Busincs*