Random Editorial Ramblings

By Jack Dionne

f was in New Orleans, La., the other day, and while I didn't go down to look, I was told that the yards of the Mahogany importers and distributors there are piled high with the greatest stocks in history. No wonder they want to restrict this Philippine competition. Our op,inion, frequently expressed, that the Philippine Mahogany Case resulted from economic and commercial warfare and never was a matter of public concT**ttl*t stronger.

The United States is increasing its lumber exports and decreasing its imports. 1927 exports exceeded 1926 by 8 per cerrt, lwhile imports were 9 per cent less. In the first half of 1928 sawmill products exported increased 23 p* cent over the first half of 1927, wlrile imports decreased 2l per cent.

This is the beginning of curtailment season among the mills of the West. In California the pine production is much lower during the winter months than the summer, due to the fact that numerous Pine mills are located in such high dtitude that operation is not possible in severely cold weather. In the Northwest the winter season always cuts down production considerably, intedering with logging, milling, and shipping.

The Postum Company has exactly one hundred million dollars worth of "good will" in its financial statement of assets. The stockholders, the Government, the banks, and all concerned, figure it is worth the money, just as much ;as their physical assets. Ever stop to wonder why good will seldom sells for anything in the lumber business? ,Chiefy because the lumber industry doesn't spend its money to build a name, a slogan, or anything of that sort that can be valued. Postum recently paid over thirty million dollars for the name of an advertised coffee. How much can you get for*yours?

There are lots of interesting developments going on in the industry. Now we find plywood manufacturers advertising that they are packing and shipping their product in cartons, entirely enclosing and protecting the wood, so that it arrives on the job unblemished and clean and ready for Perfect use'

And we find hardwood flooring people who advertise a hardwood floolscraped, sanded, treated to resist moisturg and varnished ready for use-at the factory. When it is unpacked in the room where it is to be used it is laid perfectly in a fevv hours, and there is nothing left to be done. The work that usually goes with hardwood floors after they are laid, nrl ,:**."1U.1 ." at the factory.

These things point the way the lumber and building wind is blowing. They speak of progress. It means that some actual THINKING and planning is being done in the industry, further than the simple old timey route of turning logs into standard and staple iterns of raw material, and shipping them somewhere. {.:F**{.

"What do people say about my candidacy for office?", asked the new politician. "They don't say anything-they just laugh," replied the man about town. It's getting that way about this "conference" business in business offices. Most men nowadays who hear that ttconference" gag pulled, feel a little bit sorry for the poor excuse, and tte foolish pose. They tell of the impatient customer who was leaving the store in wrath, when hailed at the door by the floorwalker. "Did you get waited on, Madarrtr?", he asked. "NO," she replied, "I guess I picked a bad day. The sales ladies are all in conference." And it's just about that silly in a business office.

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Friend making is a matter of reciprocity. A man doesn't give you his friendship. He simply trades with you. If you have little to offer, you get few trades. In friendship you must give, as well as take. If you are one of those who wonder that you are not successful as a friend maket, stop a while and consider what you have beqr offering in return for the friendships you aspire to. That route may solve the problem tor yo1. * * ,r

Read these words of wisdom recently uttered by Craig B. Hazlewood, President of The American Bankers Association, in an address delivered to a business group. "The success of a business is,measured by PROFITS ALONE. To earn profits in this changing era demands a new degree of management genius. This management requires an open mind and freedom from traditions. Thc good manager does not stand alone but obtains co-operation from within his organization, and expert counsel from without. Successful management must be constantly on thd alert for new and better mEthods. The manager must be able to turn aside from the traditional cowpaths. Old traditional methods of determining the policies of business must be replaced by a study of facts, for business today is too far advanced for guess or rule-of-thumb methods."

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Herbert Hoover recently made the following statement with regard to business waste: "Recent studies have demonstrated that the profits of wholesalers and retailers are being dissipated through wasteful and unnecessary practices, such as the handling of unprofitable iterns, soliciting unprofitable customers, striving for VOLUME of business without regard to costs, and the use of uneconomic credit practices. By a better knowledge of these conditions as they now exist the present wastes can be pointed out, and the situation corrected."