Douglos Fir frlillmen Toke Optimistic View of | 960

Douglas Fir millmen are taking an optimistic view of business for 1960, reports H. V. Simpson, executive vicepresident of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association. Tight money and increased interest charges for home mortgages pose some real problems, the veteran lumberman 9b^1.jy:1,^"nd m-ay^cut new home starts from the high 1,350,000 figure of 1959 by as much as 5/o.

Demand for west coast lumber, Simpson forecast, will be high in 1960, despite the tight money situation. He listed a pent-up demand for housing, increasing population, stepped-Lrp industrial plant expansion, and t[e continuing construction of schools, churches and commercial struc-tures as good market prospects for west coast lumber.

_ Production, orders and shipments of lumber from western Oregon and western Washington was up in 1959, Simpson said, marking the end of a two-year rec6ssron.

Production for the Douglas fir region of western Oreson and Washington in 1959 was 8,400,000,000 board feet. cJmp^argd to 8,042,982,000 in 1959 and 7,Z9l,4gSp0O in'l9SZ. Orders in 1959 totaled 8,400,000,000 feet, compared to 8,193,469,000 in 1958 and 7,741,408,000 feet in t952. Strip- ments maintained the same relative ratio, amountins io 8,320,000,000 in 1959, 8,069,067,000 in 1958 and 7,873,54f,000 ]n 1957.

New homes are needed, Simpson said, for new families being creat.{ "f the _war-baby crop comes of age and, where there is demand, the ingenuity of American-peopli will find a way to meet such o6stacles as financing. '

Most economists admit that 1960 will start a d*ecade of boom times in the U.S. and, when economic conditions are bright, west coast sawmills will share in this prosperity.

A new advertising theme of "Framing-The Hidden Value" forms the backbone of the West Coast Lumbermen's Association's 1960 national advertising campaign. The message will reach over 40 million .or.uri.rs thiou?h full page f-c9lo1 ads in national shelter magazines designEd to remind the home buyer or the home Suilder thaione of the greatest advantages his home can have is a frame of lumber-a fact often overlooked because the frame is largely concealed in the finished structure.

. Rasically-_poin-ts out WCLA, a house is only as good as its frame. Jhe glamour items-built-ins, fine paneliig, sid- ing-get all the attention, with the result that manv b-uvers today .!!Slect to inquire_about the frame when fhey-ask the builder or salesman about the important features oi tne house.

Previous consumer ,campaigns have featured the pride and fe_eling of well-being that come with owning a hbme. They have pointed out the better living, security-of investment and versatility of design to be hail in a home of wood. The new series of framing ads will start with an insertion fe-aturing full-color photograph of a finished home (of wood, of course) as seen through the window and wall of'a neigh- boring house still in the framing stage. Copy explains ihe advantages and dependability of West Coast lumber fram- ing: "The framework is the sturdy support for beautiful walls, resilirnt, comfortable floors, and-strong, weatherproof roof. Framing is a hidden value just beneath the surface of America's finest homes."

WCLA's newly published consumer booklet, "Individuality in llome. Planning," is offered free to those sending in the coupon in the ad. Booklet coupons have been used in all WCLA consumer ads since 1948, always with impressive results. In 1959, over 58,500 coupon requests weie filled for the booklet, "IIow You Can Own a New lfome."

As a tie-in with the national "Hidden Value Campaign," (Continued on Page 39)

Hoo-Hoo Glub 3 Bogs Duke Snider Over the Son Diego Home-Plote

San Diego Hoo-Hoo Club 3 had one of its best-attended meetings last month. Duke Snider, one of the stars of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, was the attraction and the crowd was like the Coliseum. More than 100 members of the club packed into the Grille room of the Stardust motel at the Mission Valley Countrv Club for the December 11 meeting.

Following the happy hour in the jampacked waiting room, Club 3 President Bill Seeley convened the members and guests for dinner. The choice was lobster or roast beef.

Without further ado, Seeley called on the star speaker and, for the better part of an hour, Duke Snider had the ciowd in the palm of his mitt. He is a grand talker, full of color and anecdote, and it was a swell meeting.