THE L. \ry" BLINN LUMBER COMPANY

vention that practically the same subjects as we have been discussing at our conve-ntion the last two days, are the subjects which are of vital interest to lumbermen all over the United States-the ethical relations problem is the same over all sections, and I find that Southern California is working under much more ideal conditions in the handling of cement than most of the other states' Your Cement policy is of keen interest to the other Associations.

Mr. L. P. Lewin, the newly elected President of the National Association, rvas very much interested in the work done by this state association in endeavoring to secure a reduction in the Corporation Income Tax, and asked me to tell the delegates present of the wonderful returns we had had to the questionnaire sent out regarding this matter. They could not believe that over 50 per cent of our members were interested in securing a tax reduction, however, that is a fact, as shown by the return questionnaires. I only hope that this 50 per cent of our membership have followed up this matter and have taken it up either personally, or by letter, with their representative in Congress. The attitude of the Membership has been transmitted to the Californi-a Representative in Congress and acknowledgements received. Mr. Lewin complimented your delegate on the very constructive program'carried out.

On August 6th, the Directors of the Association, eight local Lumber Club Secretaries and several other lumber dealers met at the Samarkand Hotel, Santa Barbara-this was the meeting at which we decided the date of this convention and made arrangements therefor.

During the year I have contacted the lumbermen at variods lumber club meetings held at Fresno, Tracy, Stockton, Orange County, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Oakland and Palo Alto. In September, I attended the annual meeting of the Builders Exchanges held at Santa Cruz, keeping in contact with tegislative movements. On May 26-28 I attended the convention sessions of the California BuildingLoan League at San Francisco; Mr. J. E. Neighbor, our'Treasurer, spoke on the Clearing House Plan that might be carried out betwqen the Briilding & Loan Associations and the Lumber Dealers and the President oi the. Building-Loan League was asked to appoint a committee of thr€e to confei with a like committee from this Association to see if a closer co-operation could not be formed. Mr. Charles Tucker, President of the Building-Loan League, has appointed a committee of four men to attend this Convention and we have been most happy to have them, and have enjoyed their participation in our discussions. It'is hoped that this will be the beginning of a closer co-operation, as there is so much in common between the two Associations, and mutual beneffts could be derived.

Since the last convention, fifteen yards haye joined into membership, and I believe with the closer contact formed by the fieldman that. more members will come in in the near .future.

Your secretary has made 24 trips during the last year in the interest of the Association and has ever been watchful for anything that would be of benefit to the members.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Mr. J. Edgar Pack of Portland; Ore., for his kindness in furnishing our members with the Trade Condition Bulletins. Much favorable comment has been passed on to me regarding these bulletins, and I only regret that you do not tell me how Mr. Pack can make these bulletins more beneficial to you-it may be that he gives you the information and that is why we do not receive any requests for specific information-you know the old saying, "No news is good news," so perhaps that is the case here. Many members have asked me if the information siven out bv Mr. Pack is authentic-for the benefit of those who do iot know, i want to tell you Mr. Pack's official position-he is the buyer for the entire Hammond Lumber C.ompany and with. the large number of yards they operate, their mills, etc., he certainly must know his business. When this information was passed on to those making inquiry, they seemed to be satisfied as to Mr. Pack's ability to furnish ihem with authentic information'

You have heard the financial report of the Treasurer, so know the financial condition of the Association; that it is good. You may not have noticed in listening to the Treasurer's report that $1,200 had been repaid a number of directors who in 1923, during the hard strug- gle the association was having financially, advanced $3,000, with which to carry on. There is still owing these directors $1,200, which will undoubtedly be paid ofi this year.

You have heard of the Final Draft of the Uniform Building Code which has been compiled by the Pacific Coast Building Officials Conference. I hope that you will watch Building Code matters in your own towns and when any action is to be taken by your city councils that you will get in touch with the State Association headquarters, and will let us furnish you with copies of the Uniform Code, if you haven't it on file in your olfices, and that you will endeavor to get the Uniform Building Code adopted in your cities. This Code has been carefully watched by the Lumber Industry representatives, and we believe is a fair code to all building qraterial interests, and that it should have your unqualified support. I have attended a number of the meetings of the Pacific Coast Building Officials conference and have at all times been impressed with their sincerity and the technical knowledge that they have had at their command, and I believe it is the best code that could possibly have been compiled. Mr. Mackie, who is the Secretary of the Conference, and all the Building Inspectors and others who have been instrumental in giving us such a code, are to be congratulated.

While passing out compliments, I want to here thank Mr. Floyd Dernier, who has been my right-hand bower in making preparations for this convention. It is no easy thing to handle a convention 500 miles from your home town and Mr. Derni€r has at all times been willing to help, and was most instrumental in getting together the fine exhibits that are on the mezzanine floor-I hope you have all taken time to visit these exhibits and that they have been helpful to you. I believe Floyd Dernier and his little sister are deserving of a sincere vote of thanks for their efforts in this convention. and further for their efforts always expended throughout the year in the interest of the State Association. It has been my sincere wish that an affiliation could be formed with the Lumbermen's Service Association-I call it the Dernier Service-so that the plan service could be an association service, and I am still hopeful that it will some day become a reality. A thank-you also to Ed Martin and the California Lumber Merchant, and to all who participated in making possible the exhibits and the advertisers in the Year Book, and to those who have co-operated in various ways to make this convention a success, and to my officers and directors, a sincere thanks for their kindliness and co-operation during the past year-the association has been a most pleasant one to me, and I feel that we have accomplished much in forming proper contacts with other organizations this year.

The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Convention Department, under the leadership of Mr. Charles Cooke, has co-operated with us in every way to make this convention a success, furnishing us trans- portation for the ladies on their sightseeing trip and taking them to the Chinese Theater in Hollywood and returning them to this hotel; also in furnishing us the official programs distributed at the business sessions and our badges. They are to be highly complimented on the efficient organization they have.

Thanks is also due the Titnberman and the California Lumber Merchant_ for their co-operation in furnishing registration cards, etc.

I would recommend that during the next year this Association'take steps to form a group life insurance affiliation available to all lumber dealers and their employees; also that we form more local lumber clubs throughout the State; that we consummate a closer affiliation between this Association and a Plan Service Bureau. so that the Plan Service to members can be made an Association service.

I hope that when you delegates are in San Francisco that vou will make the Association headquarters at 112 Market street ybur headquarters, and wi! give me an opportunity to know you bitter and to be of any service possible, and that you will call on me when the Fieldman, the Association or I can render any service.