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HARRY MENDENHATT execulive vice president

Lumber Merchonls Associotion of Northern Coliforniq 1546 El Ccnim lol, Sulfr 0 Lcr Altc, Calll.91027 (lr'| 9lr-t617

A TTENTION all dealers. We .1L realize health care is essential to the well being of the nation's population but to force business to pay for health care costs and pay this money into the federal treasury to end up with another probe of Mars or some other distant planet, star, or galaxy is not in the best interests of the nation.

The administration's proposal would require a 4Vo tax deduction lrom embloyees and a 3Vo matching payment by business to provide federal health care. -Even though-the current insurance carriers would be permitted to remain as the insurers (for a period of time) the idea idea q{ fo_rging b.usin-g.sp to pay so pu,ch^of the cost js ridiculous. The Kennedy-Mills plan is typical of the Kennedy schemes to force paymeht into ihe fedeial treasury. The K6nnedy-Mills Bil/ is even more hairbrained.

The Administration Bill HR 12684 and the Kennedy-Mills Bill 13870 must both die a quick and violent death. You, the small businessman, stand to iose the most and you are the ones that can place enough pressure on Congress to cause reevaluation. Write you-r S6nators and Representatives and tell them to leave free enterprise alone. We have experienced the federal government's attempt at stabilizing prices and the fuel crisis. Iithey attempt to cohtrol health cari we will all die of various illnesses while waiting in line to see a doctor who won't see us because there is no money left in the program to pay for his clinic and there won't be any more funds until Congress increases health care taxes again as they did Social Security.

A second area of vital concern to us is the Consumer Protection Agency which has had a tough time trying to be passed but some of our leaders will not accept the iact that the great maiority of constituents do not want passage. They are determined that the bill will be passed. The revision gives the Consumer Protection Agency even more dictatorial powers than the basic bill, HR l3-163,-passed overwhelmingly iir the House. At the present the Senatels considering S 707. Now is the time to writ6 about these also. We don't need any more controls by the federal government in any industry for any reason and for any minority group to benefit at the cost to the average citizen.

It takes only a few minutes to send off a letter of opposition. Be certain you wait until the end of a particularly difficult and miserable day when your blood is already boiling and your antagonism is high. It makes for a much better letter.

NAWLA Set For A Biggie

A record crowd of over 800 NAWLA delegates and wives are expected at the June 18-21 82nd annual meeting of the North American Wholesale Lumber Assn.

North American enjoys a current membership of over 530 companies. The 417 independent wholesale firms rang up well over 4 billion dollars in sales during 1973.

Set on the eastern slope of the Canadian Rockies, the Banff Springs Hotel offers rugged scenery unmatched elsewhere in the world.

Fishing is great sport\nm you've got the time. But fishitlg around for lumber is somethin{else ! So why not use our line{ One call to Hobbs Wall can save y[u time and money. lt's a faster ilay to land the right grades at the right prices with delivery right on schedUle,

Sierra Pacific Merger Off

Sierra Pacific Industries, Walnut Creek, Ca., and Louisiana-Pacific Corp., Portland, have jointly announced that they have terminated any further negotiations for the acquisition of Sierra Pacific by Louisiana-Pacific.

They have been unable to agree on details left unresolved by the previously announced agreement in principle.

Earlier announcements said that L-P would pay $67.6 million in cash for SPI, about $19 per share. Rumors before the announcement caused SPI stock to jump about $3.50 to $14. Trading was suspended and did not resume until after merger plans had been halted.

Recent Sierra Pacific earnings statements show a decline in first quarter earnings to 519 per share, down from 850 a year earlier. Sales are up from 927.5 million from 26.7 million. Earnings for this year are not expected to equal record 1973s, but "they should exceed all years prior to 1973," according to a company spokesman.

Particleboard Plant Tour

I{EW PRODUCT SALES

(Continued from page 13) were an appropriate time for local Bird & Son sales representative Richmond Dale to present the new Iine.

He constructed a mock-up'display model simulating the actual side of a house including a window, inside and outside corner posts and a gutter system. Dale took the opportunity to inform the Conrad .sales personnel on the advantages and general characteristics of vinyl siding. He then proceeded to apply it as it would be done under actual conditions.

Among the finest features of Conrad Lumber is the training and educating of its sales personnel. Each salesman is carefully schooled on the fine points of all products in inventory. No customer can ask a question of any of the salesmen on any phase of building construction and not get an intelligent and satisfactory answer.

A separate Planning Department is available for individual consultation for do-it-yourselfers, professional applicators and others.

The siding application clinics have provided Conrad's personnel with a good working knowledge of these siding products. An additional mock-up model was constructed inside the store to serve as a product display. Customers are able to discover for themselves whether the product is to their liklng.

The mock-up is covered with a suflicient number of courses of vinyl siding in order to allow the customer to imagine for himself how the siding would look on his own home.

Conrad's inventory of Bird vinyl siding is supplied by West Pacific Sales in Eugene, Or., a subsidiary of Acme Trading and Supply of Portland, the Bird & Son authorized vinyl wholesale distributor. Storing inventory in large quantities at Conrad's poses some space problems. As such, the conven- ience of West Pacific Sales in Eugene and the ease with which travel can be accomplished between the two points, Conrad can assure site delivery within three to five days.

Assisting him in carrying out his successful merchandising operation is merchandising v.p., Roy F. Smith and Clayton Smith, advertising and sales manager.

The total internal merchandising effort is supplemented by a comprehensive program of coordinated use of the various media. Newspaper, radio and television are all used in conjunction with the outside "reader board." Anniversary sales call for double-page newspaper advertisements in full color, a large number of radio commercials and moderate use of television.

Conrad Lumber is a successful retail operation in a rural community, catering to the needs of its customers and enjoying an annual sales volume in excess of g3'rz million. The entire Conrad team pledges itself to live up to the requirements in being the "Building Headquarters for Southwestern Oregon."