N. L. M. A. Annual Meeting

(Continued from Page 18) wood and its future was led by Richard G. Kirirbell, chief engineer of Teco and director of the NLMA Technical Division. He predicted that with a combination of gluing and mechanical devices such as ring connectors wood can be produced in almost any shape desired, such as Ibeams, rrsing different grades of lumber in different parts of the structural member. With other speakers, however, he stressed the need of intensive laboratory research before such a development can come to pass.

Judge W. S. Bennett, of New York, special counsel, and Dr. Compton were principal speakers at a general meeting on the timber industry's tax problems and contracts held under the chairmanship of W. B. Nettleton, board member, of Seattle, Washington, and chairman of the Committee on Resolutions. Numerous members of affiliated regional lumber associations participated in the discussion that followed, which resulted in a recommendation that a small committee be established to explore the matter more fully.

Expansion of the industry's "Tree Farm" program under the guidance of the Forest Conservation Division of NLMA was made new business for 1943, and funds were provided for additions to the forestry staff and facilities necessary to provide continuing attention and activity to advancement of this program. Intense interest in Tree Farm expansion was expressed by representatives of the Southern Pine Association, the states of Alabama and Arkansas already having taken leadership in state sponsorship of the Tree Farm movement.

One of the most interesting sessions of the four-day meetings was a conference with government war agency officials. Speaking to the lumbermen on behalf of the Office of Chief Engineers, which since September first has been the central lumber procuring ag'ency for the armed services and the Maritime Commission, Lt. Col. Fred G. Sherrill declared that he foresaw no material over-all shrink in lumber requirements for "several months to come." He forecast a falling off in requirements for dimension lumber with an offsetting increase in boards for boxes, crates, and containers.

J. P. Boyd, chairman of the Lumber Committee of the Army and Navy Munitions Board, scouted the idea of any serious lumber shortage and said that there was now such a sufficiency of aircraft lumber that the Army is buying and stockpiling it. He predicted a similar sufficiency, he said, of ship planking.

Mr. Boyd assured the lumbermen that the trend in 1943 will be toward relaxation of federal regulation, except in the case of "a few hot spots" where slender supplies will be available. He mentioned a few items of Douglas fir, mahogany, white oak, cypress and birch.

Speaking at the same meeting, which was presided over by M. L. Fleishel as chairman of the Lumber & Timber

Products War Committee. Ben R. Ellis. director of its Priorities Service, declared that the lack of sufficient tractors and tractor repair parts needed for woods operation has become a serious problem for the industry. The Army he said, has taken over 85 percent of tractor production, leaving 15 percent for all other needs.

The afternoon of November 18 was devoted to an open forum on "The New Age of 'Wood" under the chairmanship of Roderic Olzendam of the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company, Tacoma, Washington. Speakers who stressed the great possibilites of wood product development were Morris Sanders, chief of the Product Development Branch, Consumers' Durable Goods, OPA; W. F. Leicester, vicepresident of the Casein Company of America; and Henry Wright, associate editor of the Architectural Forum and outstanding authority on prefabricated housing. Dr. Claude Robinson, president of Opinion Research Corporation, discussed probable post-war trends as revealed in recent public opinion surveys.

Mr. Leicester, in urging the urgent necessity for additional research, proposed a sort of "Mellon fnstitute" for the wood products industries and declared they should bring new technologists and scientists into the field of wood research.

Grove Patterson; editor of the Toledo Blade and widely known publicist, was guest speaker at the large, formal luncheon, held on Wednesday. In an inspiring address, Mr. Patterson urged the vital role of free enterprise and a free press in a democratic society.

On Wednesday evening, the President of the Association was host at a formal dinner. Full reports on the successful progress of AFPI's new public relations program having previously been made to the Public Relations Administration Committee, the attending lumbermen were given an opportunity to see a sample of the program when they viewed for the first time a newly completed motion picture by Paramount, entitled "Trees for Tomorrow." The picture, which portrays the industry's progress in con. structive forest management, was prepared for educational distribution and will be made conveniently available to the members of the industry for local showing.

The dinner concluded with a showing of stirring war films from the fighting fronts and the singing of the Star Spangled Banner.

Resolutions adopted at the annual 'meetings follow: Tree F'arms

Recognizing that continuous production of lumber and other forest products is basic to the national welfare, and that there is a vital relation of forest conservation to the permanence of all forest using industries and the people dependent upon them for employment, the Forest Conservatioh Division of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association assumes responsibility in cooperation with other

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