California Retail Lumbermen's Assn. Convention at Fresno

C. W. Pinkerton Re-elected President. Adopts Code of Ethics. Opposes Federal Capital Stock Tax. Adopts Lumber and Material Certificate Plan. Urges Ownership and Better Homes.

The fourth annual convention of the' California Retail Lumbermen's Association convened at the Californian Hotel, Fresno, on-October 30 and 31. The Convention was largely attended and was the most representative convention yet held by the Associatioq. It was a very successful meeting and there was much constructive legislation that resulted from the two day sessions.

The mernbers of the San Joaquin. Valley Lumbermen's Club proved beyond a doubt that Fresno is an ideal Convention city. There vyere several delightful entertainments for the ladies who attended the Convention, and there was always something doing of intorest for the men folks when the Convention was not in session. Too much praise cannot be given to the members of the San Joaquin Valley Lumbermen's Club and their wives and families for the delightful program and enlertainment arranged for the visiting lumbermen and their families.

F'RIDAY MORNING SESSION

The convention was called to order by President C. W. Pinkerton, Whittier, who announced that Frank L. Fox of Glendale, vice president of the Southern District, would act as the presiding officer of the morning session. After Rev. George Gibson had pronounced the invocation, community singing was led by A. G. Wahlberg.

After Chairman Fox had made a short talk in which he urged the members to support the association by taking an active part in its affairs, he called on J. C. Ferger, President of the San Joaquin Valley Lumbermen's Club. who made the address of welcome.

In welcoming the visiting lumbermen to the city of Fresno, Mr. Ferger said:

The business program progressed rapidly and there were many excellent addresses, talks and discussions on matters relating to the retail lumber business, lumber standardization, fire hazards in lumber yards and woodworking plants, maximum results and minimum costs in farm construction, grade marking and merchandising of grade marked materials, freight rates, lien law legislation and home financing and building and loan factors.

At the annual meeting of the Board of Directors, C. W. Pinkerton was elected President for the third time. The State Association has made remarkable strides under Mr. Pinkerton's leadership, and the Association is to bc congratulated on having such an untiring and energetic leader during the coming year.

There were approximately 350 men and women registered at the meeting.

Presidcnt: C. W. PinLcrton, Whittier. Vice President:'Northcrn District, C. G. Bird, Stockton. Southcrn District, Paul Hallingby, Lor Angeles.

Trcasurcr: J. E. Ncighbor, Oatrland.

Sccretary: J. E. Frascr, San Francirco.

Dircctors:

P:ul M. P. Merner, Palo Alto. Harry Fuller; Lodi:

C. H. Grifren, Jr., Santa Cruz. Elmore King, Bakcrsfield.

J. H. McCallum, San Francisco.

F. Dcan Prescott, Frcsno.

E. T. Robic, Auburn.

J. H. Shepard, Sacramento.

R. F. Wells, Turlock.

Frank Wright, Portcrville.

Frank L. Fox, Glendalc.

Francic L. Boyd, Santa Barbara.

C. E. Bonestel, Ventura.

C. P. Curran, Pomona.

W. T. Davies, Pasadena.

To me has been assigncd the vcry pleas- ll 4. E. r'-ickllq& Lot ant duty of extending to you a weicorac ll FranLN.-Gibbs,-I to thc eity of Frcsn6. It is hardly nec- ll !"- !. $-alyard' cssary to lxpress to you in words -whlch ll 9.o. San fail tb conviy to yori our vcry dccp ap- 11 4.J. -S-toner, Qawt preciation of youi sclection 6f .oui fair fl Rivcr city as thc place in which to hold your ll dclibcrations. In extcnding to you thc # frccdorn of our city, I have no keys to the city to givc to i6q as is customiry in welcoming visitors in our raidst, for the rcason that wc do not keep thc gates of our city locked or closcd; thcy arc always wide open and the key has been throwrr away. But we do have kcys to our hcarts, and to you who are hcre today, we surrender these keys, wcll knowing that through your friendship and good will, you will unlock the gatcs of our lov€, fricndship and welcomc to you.

A. t. Fickling, Long Bcach.

Frank N. Gibbs, Anaheim.

Sam T. Hayvard, Los Angelcs.

Geo. F. Hoff, San Diego.

A. J. Stoner, Sawtclle.

A. D. Whitc, Rivcrside.

I could talk to you for an bour or morc tclling you of the wonderfuf City that bids you wclcome; of its civic lifc, commercial lifc, and varicd industrics, and of the human intcrest centcrcd in your convcntion. But this I shall lcavc to othcrs to dq who arc morc capablc than I, and who havc prcparcd therngclves for this puirpose. You arc not hcrc to listcn to long addrcases. Yoi are hcrc for a purposc, and havc work to pcrform, and I realize that you are anxirous to gct to work. Thcrcfore, I shall only kcep you a fcw moments. I am rcminded at. this time of a story whcrc an orator was selected to give an addrcss of wclcone; and starting hie addrers with thc Creation, he continued on and on until all but one man had lcft thc hall. Finally rcalizing that cvcryonc crcept this onc man had left thc hall, he stopped his addrcss and, extending his hand in welcomc to thc stranger, hc said, "Well, friend, I want to thank you for your courtesy in stalng after evcryone cllc has gone." Th€ strangclarosc and srid, "If,fell, old man, I would havc gone, too, but I am the ncxt on thc program. I am to respond to your.address of wcl-. comc.

NOW'S THE TIME

If you have somc work that's waiting, Now's thc timc.

Do not stand therc hcsitating, Nos's the time.

Il you wait and arc so slow

While the golden mlnutcs go:

You'll not have rcsults to showNow's the time.

If you havc a task bcforc you, Norl's thc timc.

Oh, I carncstly implore yout Nory's ttrc time.

If you only really kncw enjoy the scenery. The future'belongs to California if we will only capitalize on our cultural and spiritual resources as well as our physical resources."

Just how much irt meant to you; Life is short and ycars are fcwNow's the time.

If you wish to help anothcr, Nou/s thc time.

Ilo not wait a ycar, my brother; Now's thc timc.

Just a simple thing, I guess, But Ill tell you plainly, ycs, It's the secrct of succcssNow's thc time.

And now in conclusion, permit me to say that as the Prcsidcnt of the San Joaquin Valley Lumbermcn's Club, and in its bchalf, I cxtend to you a hearly wclcome into our midst; and it is the sincere wish of each and every lumberman in the San Joaquin Valley, that this State Association meeting will bc the banncr mecting of them all, and that when you d€part from our fair City, you will say that this meeting was worth while, and that you want to come back.

Max

E. Cook

"Maximum Results at Minimum Costs in Farm Construction" (The Relation of the Lumber Dealer Industry to the Farming Industry) rvas the subject discussed by Max E. Cook, Farmstead Engineer, in charge of the Agricultural Department of the Californra Redwood Association.

In speaking of the values of a plan, Mr. Cook stated that better types of buildings or improved structures are not produced by accident. Successful buildings must be planned. It does not necessarily follow that every farmer should retain an architect, but there are, nevertheless, rec-

M. A. Harris, San Francisco, Vice President of the Northern District, responded in fitting terms to Mr. Ferger's address of welcome.

Dr. Knoles Talks

"California's Unfolding" was the subject of the address that was ably made by Dr. Tully C. Knoles, President of the College of the Pacific of Stockton. Sketching the political history of the state, its successive ownership by Spain, Mexico and the United States, Dr. Knoles showed how successive waves of population have influenced development until today the resource of greatest value is the "human crop". There doesn't seem to be any end to the productivity of the state, but if anything hinders development it will be through our foolish nationalism which may retard the development of our international markets. He spoke on the large area that is now planted to cotton in the state, and also declared that over 85,000 refrigerator cars will be needed to move the green fruit crop this year.

"Our great crop is the human crop, however," the speaker commented. "The great proportion of the people are coming to this state to bring a profit from the soil ancl not to ognized channels through which he can obtain valuable assistance at little or no cost. He stated that the retail lumber dealer should contribute his efforts toward collecting and disseminating accurate and reliable information to him.

One of the most effective ways to keep down the cost is to eliminate waste, he declared, not only through the use of the most adaptable designs but through the selection of materials most suited and most economical in lengths, sizes and patterns. Maximum results are obtained only where every dollar works and buys real value and quality materials give service resulting in true economy, he asserted.

Mr. Cook spoke on the farmstead layout, and under maximum results at minimum costs he referred to the unit system of building, shell or skeleton system, and temporary dwellings.

According to the 1920 census, he stated that California is 32 per cent rural, including over one million people of all ages, and there are over 140 farms in the state. He said it is the duty of the retail lumber dealer to assist the farmer in developing better housing and that he should assume the role of "father advisor" on farm building problems. The farmer has the right to expect this kind of service from his lumber dealer, as he receives it from everybody else, and niodern merchandising demands it, he stated. He said the Agricultural Department of the California Redwood Association was ready at all times to contribute in this direction.

E. P. IVORY ON "STANDARDIZATION''

In his talk on "Standardization," Mr. Ivory of the California White and Sugar Pine Manufacturers' Association stated that the subject of grade-marking seemed to be very much before the lumbermen of the country at this time; that it was very noticeable on tl-re program of the convention being held.

"This grade-marking idea is a very natural outgrowth of the Standardization work that has been going on for some timc. Standardization had its inception in the minds of many men in different lines of trade, or different phases of the lumber industry shordy aftcr the war, and was given definite direction by Secretary Hoover in 1922. At that time, the Secretary of Commerce, through the Division of Simplified Practice, offered the co-operation and assistance of his department in bringing about lumber standardizatiron. This as-

'tAmong those present", as pictureil in the October 29th Fresno "Bee" ristance was rcadily acceptcd by the lumbcr iqdustry,_ as -was that of thc Departmcnt bf Agriculturc, throlrgh-thc Forcst Service.

"Many months wcrc spcnt in invcrtigation, study, and long c911fcrcnccs-, which rought to eliminate, is far as possiblc, thediflcrcnccs in the specifications of diffcrent lumbcr-producing rcgions, end dcvclop unifild standards of sizc, grade and nomcnclature for the wholc Unitcd Statcs.

"Dcfinite progress was made, and, in l|if'ay, 1923, and again in May, 1924, thc tumbci produccrs, distributors and consurncrs of thc wholc United Statcs met in Secretary Hoover's officc in Washington, and agrced to support the standards dcvclopcd.

-"As regardi sizes, the Standardization progtam consistcd of unit sizes for the raajority of dreseed lumbcr itcms, but in two very important ones-'.he dressed thickncss for inch boards and for two up a dcfinitc rccornmendation for onc or the othcr of thc two standardr providcd. Thir Committcc is now functioning, and cxpcctt to bring in a rccommendation this coming rpring.

A dchnitc rct of gradc namct was adoptcd by praetically-all thc rcgional arrociationr, and an cfiort has bccn rnade during thc p1e1 ycir to put thcm into cfrcct. Success in this has becn only partial, so far ai thc actud salcr of lumbcr arc conccrncd. In many of tllrc lumbcr manufacturing rcgiona, rhcrc changcr in gradc namc! arc votcd upon by thc mcmbcrl, thcsc vcry samc rtrcnbers continuc to tsc thc bld namcg in thcir salcs letters and on invoiccs. Thcn, again, rctailcrs and buycrr of lumber stick to thc old dcsignations, rathcr than adopt ncw oncc. The rcsult ie that Standardization ma&cr progress ilowly. The actual standardization of lumber gradee is in much the samc oosition as thc grade nomcnclature, but may bc raid to be slowly gctting undcr way.

Mr. Ivory closcd 'i/ith an appeal to thc rctailers to do thcir part in buying and selling Standard products, and again callcd thcir attention to the fact that grade-marLing, to bc effectivc. must bc bascd on efrectivc Standardization-if not National Standardization, at least a regional standardization."

E. P. Iz'ory Talhed on Standardi:ation

inch dimension-a single standard proved impossible of achievcmcnt, and the dual standard ol ?.t-32 and 13-16 for one in^h boards, and Ls/g and lt/a tor two inch dimensions, was put into cfiect. This rerulted in the elimination of many other dressed thicknesses, but did not cntirely sui: all parties concerned.

"Accordfurgly, at thc last General Confcrence held in Washington in May, 1925, it was agrced that a joint investigativc body, madc up of Forcst Products Laboratory cxpcrts, architects, re'ailcrs, wholesalcrs and manufacturers, should endeavor, during this ycar, to draw

Following Mr. Ivory's address there was a general discussion on the subject in which many of the members present took part, and they outlined the progress that had been made in their respective sections. Adolph Pfund, Secretary of the National Retail Lumber Dealers' Association of Chicago, gave a short talk on the proqress of the Standardization movement in the east. Mr. Pfund stated that all the eastern lumber associations have endorsed the movement. We have passed through the period of argumentation, he stated, and are now on the threshold of getting the movement into actual practice.

"Fire Hazards in Lumber Yards and Wood Working Plants" was the subject of the address, illustrated with stereopticon views, given by P. E. Overend, chief engineer of Southern Dept. of Lumber Mutuals. Mr. Overend discussed in detail the fire hazards around mills, lumber offices, lumber yards, and wood working plants. Smoking should be absolutely forbidden in lumber yards and among wood workers and the man who insists on smoking around lumber yards should tre kicked out, he declared. In concluding his address, he said that "the best fire protection facilities are useless if house cleaning conditions are bad."

The Resolutions Committee appointed at this session was made up of M. A. Harris, Van Arsdale-Harris Lumber Co., San Francisco, Chairman; Frank Minard, C. S. Pierce Lumber Co., Fresno; Robert Inglis, San Joaquin Lumber Co., Stockton, and George H. Bentley, Bentley Lumber Co., Glendale.

FRIDAY A,FTERNOON SESSION

M. A. Harris, vice president of the Northern District, presided over the afternoon session.

Ralph Merritt, President of the Sun Maid Raisin Growers of California, Fresno, gave an excellent address on "Cooperation." In addressing the Convention, Mr. Merritt said: mand opetate in the farmers' case as much as in the lumber industry.

"Cooperation in industry or in national matters is the keynote of progress. Cooperation must run through every phase of community, national and international life.

"There are no better examples of cooperation than the trade associations, particularly in the lutnber industry.

"Through cooperation there can be created an understanding of the problems the farmer is facing. He must know how much tonnage the u'orld can take of each type of product, and then he can fix his program of production accordingly. Through cooperation he can create standards of quality. Cooperation can produce a larger return than if there were no cooperation. Cooperation is now applying sound business principles to agriculture."

A Larsson, Larsson Traffic Bureau, San Francisco, made a report on the hearing before the Interstate Commerce Commission on the proposed freight rate advance on building commodities. Mr. Larsson gave a short resume of the proceedings of the meeting held at Chicago an dadvised that other meetings will be held by the Commission at various cities throughout the country ,at which the public can present their cases. The next meeting will be held at Denver on November 9. This will be followed by a meeting in San Francisco on November 16.

"Ifome Financing and.Building and Loan Factors" was discussed by George K. Rogers of the Metropolitan Guarantee Building-Loan Association of San Francisco. Mr. Rogers gave a short. filstory of the building and loan movement in the United States, which at the present time has over 12,000 building and loan associations. He stated that 7O/o of the homes built last year were carried on through the building and loan associations. Mr. Rogers referred to the building and loan association work in California and compared it to the eastern section of the country where this movement has made remarkable progress. He urged fhe lumbermen of the state to get behind this movement, advising them that money invested in the building and loan associations would result in the building of more homes, and create a better demand for lumber.

Franh Minard,, L. L. Walher. Hosts at Hoo-Hoo Party

There has been more advance under Secretary of Commerce Herbert l{oover in the last four years than there was under all the laws and regulations adopted during the previous 20 years. Hoover did not impose laws, but invited the representatives of your industry to come to Washington and to sit down together to discuss your problems. He asked you to find ways of eliminating waste. You are here today to consider regulations imposed upon you. You are here to consider things you have developed for yourselves and for the development of your industry. That's cooperation.

"Sotne years ago there were 64 different definitions of a one-inch board, and in the solution of the problem, there developed what I call the 'Battle of the One-inch Board.' But the problem was solved, and for the one-inch board a standard and extra standard was finally adopted.

Big Saving

"These conferences have saved to the industry and the consumer not less than $200,000,000 annually. You are a part of the cooperative movement.

"Farmers have the largest single economic problem. There are 7,000,000 farmers, with the problem of producing food for this country and for export, and marketing it at a price which will enable them to sell it all, and to make a profit. There has been a lack of coordination in agriculture. Farming must be made a business, just like any other busiNESS.

"There are certain things cooperation can not do. It can not make a good farmer out of a bad one. It can not create a sound enterprise where there is no sound manage- ment. Cooperation cannot, through monopolistic or other control, fix a price that is out of line with the real values of competitive commodities. The laws of supply and de-

The discussion on "Grade Marking and Merchandising of Grade Marked Materials" was led by President C. W. Pinkerton, who addressed the convention as follows:

"The retail lumber business is falling into the rut of substitution; substituting one grade for another of the same material and substituting one specie for another-in fact you could call this an age of 'substitution.

Norv the retail dealers rvho believe in honest grades and fair dealings with the public, are confronted by the dealer who stocks nothing but the lorver grades and does not care what he sells the public as'long as he makes a sale.

When the ordinary individual approaches the question of Home Building, he immediately f inds himself in a sphere that he doesn't understand, in fact he gropes around trying to find something that he can tie to, and he is often misled through ignorance of quality by the question of price. In his eyes one dealir is about as good as another and not being familiar with building material he assumes he will get about as good material from one as the other.

Right here is where the question of grade marking comes in. The terms R. O. P: or Com. O. P. do not mean anything to him but if the grade was stamped in plain figures on the piece, he can understand that and he u'ould realize that there rvas a vast difference in quality and price and in most cases would be rvilling to pay for value received.

Now I believe that the retailer has not performed his full duty to the public when he sells grade marked lumber but should give every buyer of material who ' builds a house or building a certificate certifying that he has sold such material and certifying as to grades and quality. The owner then would have something to show that he had put certain materials in the building and the value could be judged accordingly.

Then another interested party is the Building & Loan or Finance Organization. They would quickly take up the fact that there was a way by which they could know the quality of material that went into the articles of daily use, are made of rvood, yet of all merchandise the consumer knorvs probably less about lumber than of any other article he buys. The average person rarely can tell one specie of wood from another when he sees it in.a sawn board, only experts have a technical knowledge of grading rules to distinguish one grade of lumber from another, and yet everyone.knows there is a wide range in grade, quality and price. Therefore, lumber buying has been much of a mystery.

Secretary Hoover says:

"There is no reason why conscientious grademarking of lumber should not be as successful as the grade-marking of other products manufactured on the basis of different qualities. The grade-marking of lumber seems to be particularly important because, unlike any other article, the quality of which can be analyzed, the grading of lumber largely depends on judgment founded upon long experience. It is therefore evident that the consumer often is at a loss to know whether he is actually receiving the quality for which he has paid and which he wants. Without grade-marks on lumber it is easily seen that grades may be mixed unintentionally. , The plain indication of grade on each piece of lumber protects consumers as well as distributors.

"Grade-marking will also reduce waste. Correctly grade-marked lumber can be bought and sold without necessitating achral inspection. . In other words, if the grade-marking is carried out in a conscientibus manner, lumber will be bought and sold unseen, as wheat or any other commodity the various qualities of which have been definitely determined. This will reduce the cost of distribution and stabilize lumber conditions.

"Through grade-marking practices the public will construction of buildings that they loaned money on. In fact I believe it would be only a short time until all finance organizations r,vould specify that all buildings they loaned money to build, would be built of "Certifi ed l\{aterial."

Next to food and clothing the commodity most common to the life of mankind-is lumber. The home that shelters you, the building that houses your business. the furniture vou use and innumerable other be educated in the various grades of lumber and in their correct and most economical uses. This will encourage certain consuming industries to increase their purchases of low grade material and thereby extend the uses for these qualities which are now often a drug on the market."

Therefore it behooves us as reputable retailers standing as lve are between the public and the manufacturer, to see that the public gets the'grade of