Western Pine Associotion Annusl Endorses NLffIA Plons For Wood Promotion; Sets New Roof Decking Grode Rules

San Francisco-Merchandising and promotion of lumber products were spotlighted by actions taken at the annual meeting of the Western Pine association here early in I\Iarch. The association's board of directors endorsed a proposal by the National Lumber Manufacturers association to put on a cooperative national campaign promoting all wood. At the same time, the association jumped its own promotion budget by 12/c.

The NLMA program, however, is being submitted to Western Pine members for final approval. The association president is authorized to put the plan into effect upon approval by 75/o 'of the membership volume to support the program on a voluntary basis. Start of the NLMA program is contingent on participation by 80/o sociation's membership volume. of the national ascompleted by April

The poll of the membership is to be 15.

In other board action, the association went on record against federal subsidies to forestry for tree planting, thinning and pruning under the agricultural conservation program (ACP) and the soil bank.

It urged the government to put up the full allowable cut of timber so a free flow of raw materials to market can be assured and artificial scarcities will not be created. This is especially important in the Western Pine region where 7O/o oL the forest lands are controlled by the government.

It also endorsed the private ownership concept of forest lands, opposing two congressional bills now under study regarding the termination of federal supervision of assets of the Klamath Indian tribe of Southern Oregon. One bill would amend the termination act to provide for outright government purchase, and the other would provide for gov- ernment control of timber buyers for 75 or more years. The association said the best inteiests of the Indians and public would be served by extending the date of termination and asked Congress to allow the additional time. It voted contributions to each of the Keep Green state organizations in its region.

Housing Administrator Albert M. Cole said March 8 that the new FNMA special assistance funds authorized by the President to stimulate homebuilding for families of modest means will be made available immediately and should have a signficant effect on construction and employment in the housing field this spring. The additional $200,000,000 in FNMA special assistance, he said, will be available primarily for commitments to purchase FHA-insured mortgages up to $10,000 on new homes. Previous special assistance authorizations, he said, are expected to be sufficient at present for other authorized types of mortgage purchases, such as FHA-insured urban renewal and elderly housing financing.

"Although our reports show that availability of mortgage money for housing in the middle and upper ranges is steadily, and even iapidly increasing, this has not yet been reflected in the financing of lowercost homes," Mr. Cole said. "This new authority, therefore, will stimulate home construction in that segment of the market where it will do the most good both in terms of housing need and of increased activity in the building and allied trades."

New grading rules for roof decking were established, to become effective April 1, 1958.

A. B. Hood, Ralph L. Smith Lumber Co., Anderson, Calif., was re-elected president of the assoqiation. Reelected vice presidents were P. V. Burke, Sacramento Box and Lumber Co., Sacramento, Calif., and J. D. Bronson, Boise Cascade Corp., Yakima, Wash. S. V. Fullaway, Jr., continues as secretary-manager of the association.

R. W. Rehfeld, Southwest Lumber Mills, Flagstafr, Ariz., was named treasurer, succeeding C. T. Gray, American Forest Products Corp., San Francisco, who had served in that office for many years.

New President of Ponderoso Pine

E. W. Donahue, Chicago, was elected president of Ponderosa Pine Woodwork at the annual meeting of the association held recently at the Drake hotel in Chicago. Ponderosa Pine Woodwork is an association of lumber producers and manufacturers of wood windows, panel doors, and kitchen cabinets.

Donahue succeeds Harold J. Ford, general sales manager of Tarter, Webster and Johnson, San Francisco. Other officers elected at the meeting were: James F. Shiely, Minneapolis, vicepresident; C. R. Hunsicker, Curtis Companies, Inc., Clinton, Iowa, treasurer, and Hugh A. Schaefer, Michigan-California Lumber Co., Sacramento, secretary. R. H. Morris continues as general manager of the association with headquarters in Chicaso. with Robert H. Herbst as assistant manager. cago, R

Phil Creden, director of public relations of the Edward Hines Lumber Co., Chicago, was again named chairman of the advertising committee. The association's advertising campaign is handled by Western Advertising Co., Chicago, and the public relations program by Sumner Rider & Associates, New York.

Corlood

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