V.gabond Editorials

Bv Jack Dionne

A pessimist is a man who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing.

***

When anaemia is added to ,mediocrity, not much may be expected. But when enthusiasm is added to qualitylook out for big things.

"An economist," says an" n*a,r*l man, "is a man, who knows everything, and can't DO anything." And the economist says, "A practical man is one who perpetuates the mistakes of his ancestors." So you can take your choice.

Fair play is the Uigg"Jt *t* " modern business. A clean deal is the only deal that pays. It pays in dollars and cents. It rings loud on the cash register. The law of tooth and fang must be discarded. ***

Tell your farm customer, Mr. Lumber Dealer, that"a proper roof on the barn he's got, may save his grain and hay from rot." *** t*rt

It is reported that Bromo Seltzer has been paying unusual dividends the past two years. And we sometimes hear the present era referred to as "the aspirin age." Yes, the headaches of 1930, 1931, and 1932 will long be remembered.

A certain farmer had a fine crop of hazel nuts, which was frequently raided at night. So he hung up in plain view this sign: "Trespassers take warning. All persons entering this wood do so at their own risk, for though common snakes are not often found, the Corylus Avellana abounds everywhere about here, and never gives warning of its presence." There were no rnore trespassers. yet Corylus Avellana only means hazel nuts. (Isn't there a moral here that might well be applied to the depression 'fear ?)

**:k

Someone once asked the great teacher Confucius about another world, and that wise man answered: ..How should f, who know so little about this world, know anything about another?" Today thousands of teachers whose pure wisdom compares $rith that of Confucius as does a drop of water with the boundless ocean, can tell you all about that subject.

What a lot of foolish gibberish we write into our bu$iness letters. We use words and phrases which, if they were used in our everyday conversation, would get us promptly locked up in a booby-hatch. And why shouldn't we talk just plain, intelligent, straightforward American? Why use all such senseless bunk as "your favor at hand," "beg to acknowledge," "we are in receipt," "we sincerely trustr" t'beg to advise," "your esteemed favor," "this is to inform,tt ttas per youf requestr" ttattached heretor" ttwe beg to remain," and all such folderol. Begging, trusting, thanking, informing-all monkey business. Write like you talk. Cut the senseless bunk from business correspondence.

I feel the same way about prayers. The prayer that whines and begs can never appeal to that Mind that made a billion suns and holds them in eternal position. ff sorne men addressed their earthly father as they do their heavenly Father, the old man would probably kick hell out of them.

The fastest growing thing in America in twenty years has been the ownership of corporation stocks by individuals. Ilere are the facts: in 1910 about seven million Americans owned stock in the large corporations; in 1920 this had increased to twelve millio,n; then the big increase started: in 1923 the number had reached fourteen million; in 1928 it was eighteen million; and in lg3? it has become twent;r-four million. Mind you, I'm speaking of the big corporations, not the little business affairs. Today twentyfour million people own stock in the two hundred largest corporations in this country. The "big corporations" in other words, have become the people.

Take the American Telegraph & Telephone Company, for example. Today 79 per cent of its stock is owned in units of less than 25 shares, while General Motors has more than 364,000 stockholders.

For a decade we've been thinking nationally in terms of intensified and increased production of everything. Now, faced by the fact that our machines and our fanns can probably produce more than we can ever consume, we are trying tb think the other way. And it's mighty hard to reverse our thinking so diametrically. Speed has been our fetish; production our shibboleth. But we've got to find substitutes for them'

We've got to do it in the lumber industry. Lumber has well kept pace with the rest of the world in its efforts at volume production. From now on. this industry-or its production departrnent-has got to try for quality rather than quantity, perfection rather than speed. We will turn the log over more frequently on the carriage, and cut it as the butcher does his rneat-to get the best possible re- sults rather than the quickest possible chunks. And we must sell it that same way.

Just because a man u.*"': ,,lrn oru"anlessly in and demand a load of lumber is not proof that he doesn't need it. wouldn't buy it, or couldn't pay for it. Going out and discovering the absolutely essential needs of the community is no fad. In times like these it is the only road to selfpreservation.. Remember, the big bill is always figured with a sharp pencil; the little order packs the profits. ***

Sat talking to a retail lumber friend of mine in his office the other day, and a rnan came in and wanted two pieces of one by four twenty, delivered. My friend made out an order slip showing the price of fifty cents for the two

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Durability; Ability to "stay put" (giving permanently true alignment) ; Ability to withstand weathering; Freedom from pitch and oils; Ample strength for modern designing; Abilityto take and retain smooth finish; No splits or splinters !