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East and Canada, and American Insurance Association, formerly National Board of Fire Underwriters, also in the East and Middle West, indicate that plans for uniformity are well underway. The ICBO is probably the largest of the four rnodel code writing organizations.

Speaking on various building problems were city or county officials from San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Santa Clara, Visalia and others throughout the Central Valley with comments from industry representatives for lumber, gypsum, Underwriters' Laboratory and the Red Cedar Shinele Bureau. Of particular interest, *"r" "o=*-"nts on the progress of fire retardant treatments for cedar shingles and shakes as well as results of tests giving as much as 60 minutes break-through time on controlled fire tests substituting asbestos underlay for the asphalt impregnated paper.

Boy Areo Wood Promotion

A. D. Bell, Jr., president of the Bay Area Wood Council, has announced that his organization, in cooperation with the Mill Cabinet Promotion Fund, is distributing a new architects' specifications manual. Made up as a heavy duty post binder, it includes over 70 different pieces directed to architects, contractors, officials who spe. cify products for government projects, etc.

The llill Cabinet Promotion Fund. headquartered at 1610 Harrison St. in Oakland, has included its new 4O-page "Where-ToBuy" directory together with an informative products folder as a part of the manual. The fund is supported by mill cabinet firms in six bay counties. Robert Griesche is executive director.

As council president, Bell stated "W'ood has always been a most versatile and appealing material, lending itself admirably to creative designs." The Bay Area Wood Council is an organization of local lumber manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers interested in providing information relative to the use of wood. Inquiries should be addressed to Room 393, Monadnock Building, San Francisco.

to more and more California dealers and distributors. For year around supplies of dimension lumber and precision-trimmed studs, depend on D & R and these 4 Oregon and Washington mills:

Old Growth Fir Dimension from F.S,P. Lumber Co,, Port Orford, Oregon

Hemlock Studs from Warrenton Lumber Co., Warrenton, Oregon

Hemlock Dimension from Westport Lumber Co., Westport, Oregon

Douglas Fir Studs lrom

Shepherd & Dasher Lumber Co., Longview, Wash,

Fiery Open Letfer

"lim. Cooper, author ol the letter below, is a third'generatinn lumberman anil also president ol his oun adaertising agency. His comrnents (whi,ch are h'is own) reflect a backgrounil ol lurnber experience and, promotion of wood and, wood proilunts"-Editor.

California Lumber Merchant

Dear Sirs:

Your editorial in the March issue must have raised a few eyebrows in the industry-particularly at WWPA. I raised mine, too. For the first time I think I've caught you oft base and I mean to have at you.

We all agree that the lumber industry, at all levels, is seriously trying to help itself in many respects. The problem from here on in is one of definition of objectives and coordinating efforts. Obviously some programs progress faster than others, leaving the door open for the somewhat typical lumberman's attitude of 'olet George do it."

Your assertion that WWPA should assume the responsibility for sales training at the local, point-of-sale level, is I believe a "let George do it" attitude-an attitude that is quite common at the wholesale and retail lumber dealer level, in both labor negotiations and in wood promotion and educational programs.

Sales training of retail and wholesale lumber salesmen, it seems obvious to me, is most efficiently handled at the local Ievel by people familiar with local sales conditions. One of the urgent needs in southern California is for an accredited training school for management employees, embracing professional instruction in all phases of the retail lumber business. Every prominent retail lumber dealer I've discussed this point with strbscribes to the idea; what is done about it, however, is another matter.

Fast, regular ocean shipments by barge from Southern Oregon and the Columbia River direct to Southern California.

Now, over 5,000,000 feet of dimension lumber and studs monthly . . manufactured especially for Southern California construction needs.

Art Neth would appreciate an opportunity to tell you how you and your customers will benefit from using dependable D & R dimension and studs. You can reach him by calling TRiangle 3-2663 or STate 3-0544.

I'm certain that many wholesale and retail dealers would like to have WIIPA or anyone else foot the bill for such a project, just as so many of us seem to prefer that Uncle Sam care for us from birth to grave.

Sales training can be had on a consistent, professional basis through local wood promotion and educational funds resulting from union-management contractual obligations containing wood promotion clauses. This means that both management and union must recognize the need for not only sales training, but also for eiperienced field men, a permanent display center of wood and wood products, an information center for builders and architects, publicity, and advertising to the consumer. These are among the benefits wood promotion funds can produce.

National and regional association programs, such as NLMA and WWPA, and other specie organizations throughout the country, can cooperate with and assist local proqrams, but they cannot do the job necessary at the local level as efficiently, consistently, and effectively as can the local promotion. Examples supporting this thesis are legion.

NLMA and WITPA cooperate splendidly with the "Wood Information Bureau of Southern California'o in supplying technical data which WIB distributes to architects and builders. We are also coordinating efforts in publicity and other areas of promotion. But we do not ask, as you dq that they assume the responsibility for sales training which should be the job of local dealers.

The need for local promotional efiorts is as obvious as Sophia Loren's talent. Within a few days a group of the largest retail Iumber dealers in southern California will enter into union-management negotiations. Many people in the industry are hopeful that they will write a wood promotion clause into their contract. And if these companies-the largest in this area-do NOT include such a clause, what do you think the eflect will be upon the future of wood promotion in this area? I suggest that it could fall flat upon its face as each retailer and millwork house can justly say "if the industry leaders don't want it, why should I?"

Simply stated, the point is that local wood promotion is needed if regional and national programs are to realize maximum effectiveness; it is not the other way around.

I'or example: The up-coming Wood Marketing Council is an excellent idea, and will find it much easier to accomplish its aims in cooperation with an existing local promotional effort than without one. Southern California architects and builders need a permanent display of wood and wood products and a consistent information center, The proposed "Cavalcade of Wood" by WMC will not answer this need. It can be {ulfilled, however, by additional contractual support of Wood In{ormation Bureau which, in turn, can coordinate with WMC and WWPA in estahlishins the wood display and information center described.

Please get ofi of WWPA's back, and beat instead the drum for local wood promotion funds. All sales are local, you know, and when the retailer decides wood promotion is important to him then the efforts of WWPA. NLMA, and WMC will be fully appreciated and viewed in proper perspective.

Sincerely,

JIM COOPER President, Cooper, Davis & Co. Los Angeles, California

I Specified fengths readily available, end-sealed with waxbase paint.

fr ARDENS ARE growing dollars for lum- \J b"r dealers these days, but they have to be harvested. The idea is to inspire people to plant less and build more in their back yards.

Every unfenced yard, for example, is a potential lumber sale. And that same yard can produce other sales, too, such as:

Outdoor living space in the shape of a deck, outdoor storage, a garden bench, a sunshade roof, a pergola, screens in various places and sizes to insure privacy, provide a windbreak, serve as a sound baffie, divide use areas, or backdrop a planting bed.

An ordinary sized yard can use one or all of these structures. And where are the materials? Right in the dealer's bins and racks-dimension lumber, boards, posts, siding, all in western wood species.

How do you build up this market, and so find a profit in it?

First, be willing and able to help the customer with practical, attractive specifi cs. It means taking the time to learn his needs, to become capable of giving sound construction information and advice on materials and do-it-yourself techniques.

Innumerable aids are at hand for the dealer interested in this backyard business. Especially useful is the product literature put out by the Western Wood Products Association. A new booklet on decks contains 22 idea pictures in mouth-watering color, and a companion piece gives down-to-earth building details. A booklet on fences will soon be released.

A display of such literature will be helpful to the browsing customer, and the booklets also contain much of value to the dealer.

Of even greater personal help to the dealer is the full-scale. consumer-oriented promotion campaign being waged by WWPA. Deck ads are currently running in leading home and garden magazines, with eye-catching lines such as ooStretch your home outdoors this weekend for as little as $50."

The ads promote the idea that a kit of materials can be purchased at any retail yard. The lumber is available from inventory.

WV/PA also has prepared kits of merchandising materials that will help the enterprising dealer tie into the deck and fence campaigns. His merchandising kit includes the idea booklet. a how-to-install- it booklet, an envelope stufier, a banner for in-store promotion, and a proof sheet of the free ad mats available from WWPA for local newspaper advertising.

The build-a-deck campaign, now under way, will continue through early summer. A similar promotion of fences, exploiting the theme, o'Remodel your yard," began in late spring. Both are being bolstered by picture-stories being distributed monthly to 3,000 newspapers nationwide by the WWPA product publicity departmenr.

Timber Operotors Cite Gools

Promotion and preservation of economic peace in northwest logging and lumbering activities was cited as a major goal for the industry in the year ahead by Lee J. Nelson, general manager of Al Peirce Lumber Company of Coos Bay, speaking in Portland before the March 29-30 annual meeting of Timber Operators Council, Inc.

Nelson, re-elected TOC president, which represents 200 western lumber and wood products companies, declared that although the industry today does not always see eye-to-eye on export and marketing policies there is a growing current of unity for labor-management harmony to insure and maintain production.

Lauding the strengthening position of TOC as an outstanding employer association of the Pacific Northwest, Nelson warned that the coming year can be important to the industry when it is expected to face negotiations with major unions demanding new wage increaseg longer vacations, more pension, health and welfare benefits.

ttThe ever increasing cost of home construction is certainly not contributable to the cost of lumber and plywood," Nelson indicated.

Officers elected at the annual Timber Operators Council sessions making up the slate with president-el'ect Nelson were:

Francis I. Cheney, general manager of Cheney Redwoods, Inc., first vice president; William J. Runckel, general manager of Edward Hines Lumber Company, second vice president; S. L. Gregory, industrial relations manager for Pope & Talbot, Inc., secretary-treasurer and E. M. Boddv, Crown-Zellerbach, Corp., assistant secrLtarv-treasurer.

Weyerhoeuser Pqckoging Plans

A plan to improve systems for packag. ing and shipping of softwood lumber has been announced by Weyerhaeuser Company.

The firm's softwood lumber division has created a new position of director of packaging systems and Robert W. Robbins, former project coordinator for product planning, was promoted to the new position.

Alan T. Smith, manager of the softwood lumber division, said the new position was created to develop and implement improved packaging techniques, as well as systems for rail and truck shipments.

"The primary objectives are reduced lumber-handling costs and lower in-place material costs for our softwood lumber customers," Smith said. "Robbins will continue to be based in Tacoma."

phone: st 3-7510 tr 2-1074

(oreo code 213) wholesole lumber compony, inc. p. o. box 352 encino, colifornio we specialtize in: cedar . redwood ' pine ' fi.r uppers repre;sent'ing: brunswick timber products corp. nevada city, calif. haining lumber company williams, ariz.

FHA Temporcrily Shelves Plons Limiting Hordwood Plywood Use

The Federal Housing Administration has postponed action which would have operated to restrict the use of hardwood plywood wall paneling in one and two-unit residential structures.

Earlier the FHA had proposed to amend its minimum property standards for one and twoJiving units, in what is considered to be an effort to increase the fire safety characteristics of such construction, by limiting the use of interior finish materials within the Class C flame spread range, that is having ASTM E84 surface flame spread ratings of between ?5 and 200 points. Most printed, prefinished, or painted hardwood plywood falls within tllat range.

FHA's Proposed Interim Revision No.28, which became known in December, would have eliminated the use of Class C materials in stairways and corridors serving more than a single living unit, in kitchens, and in service, storage and heater rooms. Moreover 'non-standard or proprietary materials treated with coatings or impregaation to reduce surface flame spread' would have to be tested and bear the Underwriters' Laboratories label.

In addition to Proposed Interim Revision No. 28, active con' sideration was being given within the FHA to possible further restriction of the use of decorative plywood in the direction of requiring one-half inch thickness, or the use of non-combustible back-up material, such as gypsum board.

Despite industry opposition, FHA has not given up its purpose, and a further efiort by it to promulgate and enforce such restric' tions may be expected.

Weyco's Grqdemqrking Extended

Weyerhaeuser Company will extend grademarking to include all its framing and sheathing lumber, according to Alan T. Smith, manager of the firm's softwood lumber fivision. Identifying grademarks will go on every piece of construction-type lumber when manufactured and will be readily visible to buyers, builderso FHA inspectors and building code authorities, he explained.

He explained that for nine years the company has been grade' marking over 90 per cent of its framing lumber which includes all grades of kiln-dried framing and most grades of green fram' irg. Following industry practice, it has not been grademarking the lowest two grades of green framing lumber. Now, the com' pany is moving to mark these grades as well.

Long-time Deoler Closes

One of southern California's oldest building material dealer firms, Security Building Materials Company of Los Angeles, closed its more than half-century old operation March 31.

With this announcement came word that Ralph Kilpatrick, a director of the California Building Material Dealers Association, Inc. for over a decadeo had resigned his directorship.

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Security Building Materials Company was known originally as the George L. Eastman Companyo which opened in 1913. George L. Eastman, founder of the firm, was well known in southern California as he served as the first president of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and was one of the founders of the Hollywood Athletic Club and Hollywood Chamber of Cornmerce.

The firm changed hands once in the I920's, and in 1926 the name was changed to Security Building Materials Co. Easman continued in the firm until 1951, when he sold to Kilpatrick and P. E. Deyo, who had been with the company for over 25 years.

In 1945, Eastman served as the first president of the CBMDAthen known as the Building Material Dealers Association. Kilpatrick joined the board of directors in 1952 and served as treasurer at one time.

Proposed Grqdemcrrk legislotion

_ Legislation requiring that all lumber be grade-marked has been drafted by California Congressman James Roosevelt, who states that he plans to introduce the legislation at an early date.

Ulder his proposal, all softwood lumber under the meaning of SPR 16-53 would have to carry the grade-mark of an ALSC certified agency or be marked 'oungraded."

Some exemptions to the rule *are planned. Among them: treated lumber, rough cut only, Iumber thicker than two inches, and primarily-appearance grades or lumber precut under contract for specialized uses.

$t Million Deqlership Plonned

Ground has been broken for what will be tle largest building materials supply house, selling to the general public, in southern California. Lumbermen's Mercantile of California, Inc., will build a 60,000 square foot building adjacent to the Balboa Freeway in Tustin, Orange County. The total investment will be just over $l million and construction will be completed by late June.

Situated on a seven acre site, the new cash and carry store will include a large showroom of concrete tilt-up construction, a paved parking area, a large warehouse and a railroad siding.

Lumbermen's Mercantile of California is a subsidiary of Lumbermen's Mercantile Company of Shelton, W'ashington.

Lumbermen's Mercantile of California was founded in L962 with a 45,000 sq. ft. sales facility at Fremont in the San Francisco Bay Area, under the managership of Wendell Scott.

Commenting on the expansion into southern California, L-M's T. C. Rowe noted: "Our philosophy has always been 'everything for the home except vret cement.' This, and our 'one low price, cash and carry' approach."

Potlqtch Moves lo S.F.

Potlatch Forests Inc., the big wood, pulp and paper company, is moving its executive offices to San Francisco from the present base in Lewiston, Idaho.

The move will be made this summer, president Bento R. Cancell said. The big firm established its national marketing offices in San Francisco last April. That same address, 320 Market Street, will be the site of its new executive offices.

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