Southern California Retailers Have ' Convention

E. C. Porker Elected President- -Record Attendonce

Most Rev. Leo J. Iturphl', l)astor of St lvtonica's Catholic Clhurch, Santa Monica, gave the invocation.

I-athrop K. l,eishman, Crorvn City Lumber & Mill Co', l'asrdena, presided over the business session. Attendance prizes were awar(led to thc ladies, and later tb the men'

The first speaker rvas Dr. \\I. H' (Ilill) Alexander, pastor of the First Christian Church, Oklahoma City, whose inspirational talk on "Iiaith art<l Freedom" was stimulating to the large audience. l le stressed today's need for good ol<l fashionc<l integrity antl honesty and intelligent thinking, irrstead of n'ishful thinking. The slleaker was a war corrcspondent in Italy tlurirtg World War II, and he has nradc morc th:tn 700 talks throughottt the country on this subjcct.

Among those at thc hcad table rvere trvo rvell known lrctor frien<ls <lf I)r. Alexander, Rocl Cameron and Roy I(ogers. Iloth got a big hand rvhen introduced.

The 34th Annttal I\Ieeting and Trade Shorv of the Southern California Retail Lumber Association lvill lle remembered as one of the greatest in the history of the Association' More than 1600 attended the convention rvhich rvas held at the Ambassaclor Hotel, Los Angeles. orl Wednesday. Thursday, and Friday, April 4, 5, and 6.

The previel' of the Er;ttipment and I'roclttcts Exhibit in the Colonial and I'lmbassy llooms, helcl at 7:00 p.m. on April 3, proved to be tnost successful' It attracted an attendance of al>otrt 350.

Wednesday

Weclnesdal' morning rvas given over to registration and visiting the exhibits.

The registration w'as in charge of the Association's efficient staff which included Nancy Lee Moore. \\/ilmar Perks, l)at Doyland and Betty Traxler.

Officers and directors of the Association met at breakfast at 8:0O a.m. in the Oval Room, and elected the nevu officers. H l'ark Arnold rvas chairman of the nominating committee.

E. C. Parker, president of Patten-Blinn Lumber Co., I-os Angeles, \\'as elected president. Ben \V. Bartels, Peoples Lumber Co.. Ventura, rvas elected vice president, and C. Gilmore \\/ard, \\lard & Harrington Lumber Co., Santa Ana, rvas electecl treasurer. Orrie \\r. Hamilton was reelected executive vice president and secretary-manager.

Retiring President Thomas J. Fox presided'at the KickOff luncheon.

6;. 1i. (Gcrry) Hoppe, sales pronloti<>n manager of the Irrsulitc I)ivision of Minnesota & Ontario l'aper Co., Minrrcapolis, hel<l the closc interest of his hearers lvith his talk cntitled "Scll and Survive."

I\Ir. Ilogrpc traced the history of selling from the wagon pc<lrllcr, thc first real salesman, down to the present da1"s grcat salcs forccs, :rnd told how selling and the porver of selling has helped to give this country its high standard of living.

IIc outlirrcd the three :Ivenues of business open to the Iumber tle:rler, (1) the nerv home market, (2) the repair :rrrd rcrno<leling market, and (3) the farm market.

The first named u'ith an estimated 800,000 units in 1951, u'ill produce a lot of business this year. Remodeling represents about ftlttr billion dollars u'orth of potential business in 19.51, and the farur <lemand u'ill also be large, he said. lTc urged the lumbcr tlealers to get out ernd do a lletter job of selling this year.

The annual banquet \\'as an enjoyable affair' Dinner music was furnished by Kerekjarto and his Ensemble. Atendance prizes l'ere an'arded the ladies.

The spe;rker of the eyening rvas John Morley, noted war correspondent, u'hose subject lvas "The Inside Story of the \\'orlcl Crisis." Mr. I\{orley has been inside the critical \\'ar zones in Korea and China, also behind the Iron Curtain. He predicted the rvar in Korea three months llefore the North Koreans attacked, and gave the inside story of Korea and the significance of the 38th Parallel. He said this country should remain strong because the only langrlage :r dictator ttnderstands is power in the field'

\Tr. Morley rvill leave April 13 for Yugoslavia, will at-

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