NNONTANA NtrWS

By R. V. PETERSEN executive secretary

QURVMNG the test of several atv tempts to have it declared invalid through lack of voter approval, Montana's new constitution became efective July 1.

Whether or not this is good is entirely a matter of individual opinion. Controversy has been the dominant aspect attending its formulation and adoption and, quite obviously, will continue to be for some time to come.

One of the common criticisms leveled at the Constitutional Convention was that of being anti-business. Time may prove or disprove the validity of that criticism, but for the present, numerous provisions adopted by the "Con-Con," and of subsequent conforming legislation enacted by the succeeding legislature, will force the business man to re-examine many aspects of his day-to-day business operations.

Among legislative matters receiving emphasis by the recent legislature and of interest to the lumber dealer was, for example, unemployment compensation which will now take a sig- nificantly expanded bite--a 36% in-

Why then, when so much reliance is placed on the grade mark, when hundreds of dollars change hands in the course of a sale, when lives ar€ literally at stake, why does the manufacturer place the grade mark on lumber in such haphazard manner and with ink that literally fades away after a few days exposure to sunlight; similar in nature to the action of soap and water on the child's whimsical "tattoo.D It should be like the real tattoo, permanent.

In a recent @curence, a building department acting well within its rights, albeit a little superciliously, located some ungtade marked studs in a garage, The material was furnished by a most reliable lumber company. Subsequently, the drywall and some cabinets were removed go that the building department could be assured that the studs were all grade marked, or if not marked then a marked stud of the appropriate grade placed alongside the unmarked stud; The fact that a field inspector had looked at the house in the framing stage, the fact that the material was ordered grade marked by the lumber dealer, the fact that ALS re(Please tarn to page 25) crease-on the expense side of the records.

With the expansion of state agencies, the element of bureaucratic control and supervision looms ever larger on the business horizon. T'he extent to which ameliorization, amendment. mitigation or modification of some of the less desirable aspects of this bureaucracy can be accomplished is in direct ratio to the attention given by every concerned citizen to the selection of right-minded delegates to the legislature. Corrective measures areof necessity slower and more painful of accomplishment than are preventive measures but for the latter the season has passed.

AMERICAN LUMBER SPECIES specializes in supplying hard to find species, cuts or grades, in domestic softwoods and hardwoods. Don't waste time - Call American Lumber Species-we can fill the bill fast.

THE SOUTHTAND (Continued' lront page 24) quirements prohibit the mixing of marked and unmarked material made no difference to the building department. This is not an isolated case. It's going to be a reoccuning one unless we as an industry do something to improve the legibility and the longev- ity of our mark of integrity, the grade stamp.

Lumber distributors are urged to take every precaution that ungrade marked nraterial doesn't reach a building projeet. They are also urged to caution the mills against the mixing of ungrade marked material with grade marked material. And the mills are urged to apply that grade mark with care so that everyone can recognize the grade, the agency, and the mill number.

At a time when the public seems to want to criticize the price of lumber, let's beware that as an industry we don't give them reason to also criticize our integrity.

Anolher L-P Acquisition

For Lumber Opebation

For lease t or 2 acres. Surfaced, fenced, RR spur. In los Alamitos, Ca. Call (213) 696-1555(714) 827-5900.

The purchase of the Diamond Lumber Co. Inc. operations at Tillamook, Ore., by Louisiana-Pacific Corp. has been announced by Harry A. Merlo, L-P president and Roy Gould, Diamond president.

Included are a sawmill, dry kilns and planing facilities plus rights to harvestable timber on federal. state and private cutting contracts.

The operationo employing 160, has an annual capacity of 60 million board feet and has been cutting primarily hemlock and Douglas fir species into dimension lumber and timbers for both the domestic and export markets.

"This additional production capacity will be added to the newly formed L-P Columbia Corridor Div.." said Merlo.