Retailers Discuss Reconyersion Period Problems

Colorado Springs. Colo., Nov. 6.-Keynoted by the siogan, "llome Building Spearheads the Return to a Peacetime Economy,"the National Retail Lumber Dealers Association, headquartered in Washington, D. C., opened its annual meeting at the Broadmoor Hotel for a three-day bout r.gith reconversion periocl problems, November 6, 7 and 8.

Prodttction, not price control, rvas the theme of the lum-

"With the war ended, why talk of continued lumber shortages ? Some government agencies have figured there will only be enough lumber for 400,000 houses in 1946. Not more than 10,000 board feet of lumber is needed in the average house. OnIy 4 billion feet of lumber, there{ore, is needed to build 400,000 houses. Where are the other 26 billion board feet going? There are materials enough if there is labor enough-if there is will enough to build homes in America."

Clarifying the point that the home building industry has no real reconversion problems except those connected with the current strikes, Secretary Northup suggested that the. government settle the strike situation, provide sensible wage and hour regulations, and let the building industry put to rvork the 9 million men and women it is capable of employing. Returned service men and women want jobs,, Mr. Northup emphasized, and only production and the return to a peacetime economy can put them to work.

President S. L, Forrest Secretcry H. R. Northup ber dealers' meeting. "There is a demand for homes," H. R. Northup, secretary of the National Association, Washington, D. C., stated, "but once builcling l;egins, the pressure rvill be lessened and'prices rvill seek normal levels. The philosophy of shortages, lack, and lirnitations on housing, may be substantiated by government figures bttt sttch unimaginative accoultts do not take into consideration the techniques and abilities the building industry learned during the war."

Pointing out that the lumber manufacturers produced 28 billion feet of lumber in 1945 and u,ith retLrrn of labor to the mills are headed toward a 30 million feet production in 1946, Secretarl' Northup asked :

That lumber dealers are really turning their establishments into a headquarters for building information, services and materials, was brought out by the Association's president, S. L. Forrest, Lubbock, Texas lumber dealer. "Hundreds of lumber dealers have already signed a pledge of service designed to remind them of their own responsibilities to the community as well as to notify the citizens of their communities of the efforts being made by lumber dealers to coordinate and integrate the elements and materials that make up the home building trade."

A recent survey showed that 75/o of the lumber dealers in the United States were either remodeling or planned'to remodel their establishments to include handling and stocking equipment that would reduce the cost of building material distribution, President Forrest informed the meeting. Also, most of this yard and plant remodeling would result in a display room where prospective customers could see working displays of windows, doors, cabinets, insulation, wallboard, partitions and other materials.

Too many people, Mr. Forrest stated, fail to realize that (Continued on Page 6)