THE CALIFOR}IIA LUMBERMERCTTANT JaclcDiorne.

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How Lumber Looks

San Francisco, Feb. ll.-There.is no change in the strike situation at the Redwood mills in Humboldt and Mendocino counties and the mills are still down. The strike was called by the Lumber and Sawmill Workers lJnion, A. F. of L., on January 14. The principal union demands are a 22% cents an hour pay increase, union shop, and the right to fix relative wages of workers. The union turned down an offer of a l5 cents an hour increase, same as was accepted by the Fir workers in the Northwest.

The Western Pine Association for the week ended January 26, 102 mills reporting, gave orders as 42,136,000 feet, shipments 43,165,000 feet, and production 32,O42,0@ f.eet. Orders on hand at the end of the week totaled 254.139.000 feet.

The Southern Pine'Association for the week ended January 26,81 units (114 mills) reporting, gave orders as 15,n4,O0O feet, shiprnents 14,644,000 feet, and production 14,485,000 {eet. Orders on hand at the end of the week totaled 84.635.000 feet.

The California Redwood Association for the month of December, 1945, reported production of thirteen operations as 26,724,ffiO feet, shipments 21,495,000 feet, and orders received 20,572,0N feet. Orders on hand at the end of the month totaled 81.947.000 feet.

The West Coast Lumbermen's Association for the week ended January 26,143 mills reporting, gave orders as 72,0A0,-

000 feet, shipments 75,000,000 feet, and production 77,C(ll0,W feet. Unfilled orders on hand at the end of the week totaled 588,799,000 feet.

OPA Grants Mark-Up for \Tholesalerg And Commission Men

Late this afternoon (Feb. 8) the OPA issued the following release: "The Office of Price Administration today announced that action will shortly be taken to establish a mark-up for direct mill shipments on Douglas fir, Western pine and other softwood lumber not now having the markup privilege. The a€tion is expected to result in a somewhat improved distribution of available supplies of construction lumber, particularly to small retail yards.

"The mark-ups to be provided for direct mill shipments are 5/o for wholesalers and retailers and 3/o for commission men, based upon the applicable mill ceiling prices. It is not planned to impose a dollar limitation on the size of the mark-up. Resellers will be permitted to include 2/. of. the mark-up in calculating resale prices."

OPA also announced that it intends to review immediately the existing mark-ups in Southern pine with a view to arriving at a uniform mark-up for all softwood species. OPA said that amendments to the various regulations are now being drafted and will be issued in the near future. Until such amendments are effective no mark-up may be charged or paid to the retailers, wholesalers or commission men on direct mill sales of lumber species other than Southern Pine.

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President Truman Announces a Program to Amendment 1 to RMPR 348 - - Red Build 2,7OO,O00 Homes in 1946-1947

Washington, Feb. 8-President Truman tonight announced a program to build 2,7ffi,W new houses in 1946 and 1947.

It contemplates vast increases in the output of building materials, with government subsidies and other Federal payments, where necessary, to bring this about. " It calls for tripling the labor force now rvorking on residential construction, with wage rises where necessary as a phase of the recruiting program.

It also provides for the government to lend a hand in several ways to stimulate the prefabricated housing industry.

Other steps would include price ceilings on building lots and on all houses, new or old, "more effective price controls" on materials, continuation of rent controls, mortgage insurance up to 9O per cent of the value of new low-cost homes and a ban on "all deferrable and nonessential construction" for the rest of this year.

'Ihe program was drafted by Wilson Wyatt, housing administrator, after five weeks' study and consultation witl, government, business, labor and veterans' representatives.

Mr. Truman gave it his "complete and unqualified support" in a statement which urged Congress to "enact promptly" the laws it will require.

Of the z,7m,Offi homes, all to be "low and moderate cost," 1,200,000 would be started in 1946 and 1,500,000 in 1947.

The 1,200,000 for this year would include 700,000 conventional houses, 250,000 permanent prefabricated houses and 250,000 temporary units.

'lhe 1947 construction would be 900,000 conventional and 600,000 permanent prefabricated houses.

Mr. Wyatt reported that if Congress passes the necessary legislation promptly "the program should move into high gear" by April 1. Within two years from that time "the urgent need figure of some 3,000,000 homes should be met."

The program calls for $850,000,000 in governmental appropriations. Of this, $600,000,000 would be for the premium payments for more materials and $250,000,000 for moving and converting barracks and similar structures for temporary housing.

Cedar Logs

OPA has taken steps to equalize the buying opportunities of mills remote from red cedar sources, and small mills operating within easy trucking distance.

On and after February 2, 1946, remotely situated mills may buy red cedar logs at the delivered-to-mill prices whether the logs are loaded on railway cars or piled on the ground at the railway siding in towns where there are competing mills.

In addition, OPA has authorized appropriate deductions from delivered-to-mill ceilings by remote mills if they take delivery at an accessible roadside point.

For roadside prices, there is established a sliding scale of deductions from maximum delivered-to-mill prices ranging from $5 per l00O feet log scale for hauls of 10 miles or less to $12.50 per 1000 feet log scale for hauls over 30 miles.

Previously, roadside ceilings were determined by deducting costs of loading and hauling in railway cars from maximum prices, frequently causing considerable variation in pricing among buyers of red cedar logs.

OPA also announced an extension of the regulation to include Florida and Pennsylvania, not previously listed in the coverage of red cedar logs.

(Amendment No. 1 to Revised Price Regulation No. 348 -Red Cedar Logs; effective February 2, 1946.)

Louis-Conn Fight Pictures At S. F. Club Luncheon Feb. lg

Motion pictur'es of the 1941 Joe Louis-Billy Conn fight will be shown at the luncheon meeting of the San Francisco Lumbermen's Club, to be held on Tuesday, February 19, in the New California Room, Palace Hotel, San Francisco. Cocktails will be served from 11 :19 to 12:29. and the luncheon and meeting will start at l2:D and end promptly at 1:29 p.m.

The San Francisco Lumbermen's Club has now over 100 paid-up members.

Visits Ecrstern Cities

Frank J. Connolly, president, Western Hardwood Lumlrer Co., Los Angeles, left January 24 on a three weeks' business trip to New York, Washington and Chicago.