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Hunter Woodwork's tradition of quality and service since 1943, has made it one of the nations leading pallet manufacturers.

Call on our experienced sales engineers for help with your pallet, box, skid and cut lumber problems in any of the 50 states.

During our bicentennial year and into the future, Hunter Woodworks willcontinue with this tradition of quality.

HUNTER WOODWORKS, INC.

1235 E. 223 ST., CARSON, CALIF. 90745

PHONE: (273) 775-2544 o (213) 835-5671

Publisher Emeritus A. D. Bell, Jr.

Editor-Publisher David Cutler

Contributins Editor Dwisht Curran

Contributing Editor GagE McKinney

Advertising Production Msr. Ms. D. Hamil

Art Director Martha Emery

Staff Artist Terry Wilson

Circulation Marsha Kelley

The Merchant Magazine is published monthly at 45{X) Campus Dr., suite 476, Newport Beach, Ca, 92660. Phone (714) 549-8393 or (714t 549-8394 by The Merchant Masazine. lnc. Secondclass Dostaqe ratei naid at Newnort Beach. Ca..-and addiiional offices.'Advertising rates upon request.

ADVERTISING OFFICES

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA & PACIFIC NORTHWEST 4500 Campus Dr., suite 476, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660. Phone (714) 5498393.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Carl Vann, 1385 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles, Ca.90o24. Phone (213) 477-7593 or (714) 549-8393,

Subscriptions

Change of AddressSend subscrip- tion orders and address changes to Circulation Dent.. The Merchant Magazine, 4500'Camnus Dr.. suite 4761 Newnort Beach. Ca.92660. lnclude address label from recent issue if possible, plus new address and zip cooe.

Subscription RatesU.S.. Canada. Merico and Latin America: $5-one year; $8-two years; $ll-three years. Overseas: $7-ohe year: Sl l-two years. Single copies $1.00. Back copies-$1.50 whe-n aviilable.

The Merchant Maqazine serves the members of the: Aiizona Lumber & Builders Supply Assn., Phoenix; Lum- ber Merchaht3 Assn. of Northern California, Los Altos; Montana Building Material Dealers Assn., Helena; Mountain States Lumber Dealers Assn., Salt Lake City and Denver; Lumber Assn. of Southern California. Los Angeles: western Buildine Material Assnl, Olympia. Wa.

THE MERCHANT MAGAZINE i.s an independent nnga:ine for the retail, nholesale and di.strihution level.s of the lunrher and huildins nwterial.s and honte impmvenrcnt indusir.r' in the t3 Western slates. concentroting on nrcrchandising, nanagenrcil and acntate, .fadual nex.r repoil ing and interpretation.

What's a illonongahela?

I T seems incredible, but many people in the I forest products industry still don't either know or care about the current threat to timber supply that goes by the name of Monongahela.

The original court decision that triggered the crisis was a ruling by the Fourth Circuit Court in the Southeast that only dead, mature, large and individually marked trees could be removed from the Monongahela National Forest. The suit was, of course, brought by a group of preservationists whose opposition to clear cutting prompted them to file suit.

Later this month the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco will rule as to whether the same decision can be applied in the West, specifically in the Tongass Forest in Alaska.

The impact in the West alone could be devastating. If the decision, which effectively outlaws scientific forest managment within its jurisdiction, is upheld and applied to national forests in Washington and Oregon, 125,000 family members will feel the impact, according to the American Plywood Association. Some 7Jl0 jobs in Oregon and 5,190 in Washington could be lost along with

$47.5 million in lost aounty road and school revenue according to Industrial Forestry Association estimates.

It wouldn't take long to make massive disruptions at the wholesale and retail levels of lumber and other wood products distribution as a major part of the supply of wood was choked off. Prices would almost instantaneously soar as supply diminished.

Most feel, regardless of the court decisions, the real solution lies in remedial legislation by Congress, yet this is remote at best in an election year. The resultant failure to legally block these court challenges or obtain relief through new laws could well result in some of the most seriouswood supply shortages ever.

In view of this, the inaction demonstrated by many members of the industry, at all levels, is curious indeed. Perhaps in all areas of our lives we've been presented with too many crises, with the result that apathy, rather than action, has become the standard response.

If apathy prevails in this particular situation, we as an industry will live to regret it.