NRLDA Plqns to Expond ond Boom Retoil Activity

Herbert W. Blackstock, president of the National Retail Lumber Dealers Association, opened the Spring meeting of the NRLDA board of directors, May 10, on a highly optimistic note. In reporting on his travels to a goodly number of federated association conventions this past winter and spring, he stated he found great enthusiasm for the increasing opportunity for the selling of building materials and construction services to the general public in all areas of the country.

Mr. Blackstock greeted the presidents of the federated associations who were in attendance at this meeting for the first time. He pointed out that the presence of these outstanding dealers from the state and federated groups marked a new step in the progress of NRLDA, inasmuch as these men were being made ex-officio members of the National's board, thereby expanding the board by some 33 capable and experienced lumbermen who would from now on play an important part in the formulation of industry policies and programs.

Mr. Blackstock announced the approval by the board of an expanded program of National Association activities resulting from a joint meeting of the NRLDA officers, executive committee and federated association managing officers representing the nine Executive Committee districts of NRLDA, held in Dallas, Texas, in April.

The recommendations of this group to the National board were that new, improved and expanded activities of the National Association should be developed within eleven broad categories of activity, as follows: National Affairs (national legislation) : Government Relations (with all agencies of the Federal Government whose administrative actions and rulings affect the welfare of the lumber dealer) ; in the field of Building and General Industry Relations, that is, cooperative activities with other nationally or- ganized groups; the employment of staff to conduct a Program of closei liaison between the members of the industry and the state and regional associations constituting the industry's federated association group; Education relating to eniployee and management training; Dealer Operations Research, such as materials-handling and yard-layout problems leading to cost savings; Market Development, as it relates to Education and Industry Facts, Merchandising and Trade Promotion, and the multiplying problems of Marketing and Distribution; the continuing expansion of the Association's Exposition; expanded activities in the field of Transportation relating to freight rate reductions ; expanded activity in the Labor Relations field dealing with rulings, decisions and developments of particular concern to the dealers, and the development of assistance and guides to dealers on specific labor problems in the basic iechniques of collective bargaining; and improved Public Relations in behalf of the entire industry.

The board of directors agreed with these recommendations, and recommended that the Association plan expanded membership drives and give consideration to the funding necessary in order to provide the industry with expanded servlce programs.

NRLDA's treasurer, W. B. Oldham, reported that the Association's accounts were in sound condition, and H. R. Northup, the National Association's executive vice-president, stated housing construction in the nation was going forward despite the lack of any new enabling housing legislation.

Commenting on the large volume of construction and home building, modernization and repair, he stated residential and commercial construction in the year ahead looks better. He pointed out that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 433,000 non-farm housing units started in the first quarter of the year-the highest first quarter on record.

Mr. Northup went on to point out the market opportunities confronting the entire industry, and therefore its determination to concentrate on its ability to sell service and maintain these markets was of first importance.

National Legislative Counsel John H. E,lse reviewed legislation now pending in Congress. He reviewed the pending housing legislation, stalemated at the moment iu the House Rules committee, with the observation that he was confident that the major provisions which were of paramount interest to the retail lumber industry: namely, the increase of FHA's insuring authority, would without doubt be passed by this Congress, but there was the possibility of Presidential veto of those housing proposals which would greatly increase spending beyond the budget presently contemplated by the Administration in the field of public housing, urban renewal, college housing, and direct loans for elderly housing. Ile commented on the fact that the VA rates was likely to be expanded to 5%%, which would inject new life into VA Loan Guaranty program.

Mr. Else also commented on the many programs in which the industry had interested itself in relation to the retail establishment exemption of the \Arage-Hour Law, related the industry's opposition to the suggestions that the minimum wage be raised to $1.25, and commented on the industry's attitudes and viewpoints in relation to taxation of cooperatives, the possibility of securing recognition of the equity of materialmen's liens vs. federal liens on property, and the continuing desire of the industry to maintain its right to meet competitive prices in local markets which might be lost under the provisions of Senator Kefauver's Senate Bill, S. 11.

Edward H. Libbev. secretarv and Government Relations staff member, related to the board the many contacts required with agencies of the federal government, and named

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Write us for infonnntion and, the tunne of uout nearest Wholesale Distribuior -of Cal-Pacific Redraood.

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Hoo-Hoo Glubs 9, I 14 ond l7O Hold Tri-Club Goncot in Mountqin View

TOP [EFT: Sonto Cloro Club President 8ob Buckley, S. F. Club President John Prime, ond the Supreme 9 Custocotion, Jock 8erry.

TOP CENTER: The Degree Teom excellently pul the lorge closs of Kittens through the "mill" for the benefit of the huge crowd of visiting lumbermen.

TOP RIGHT: Sonlo Cloro Club Secretory - Treosurer Preniice Miller, Northern Colifornio Deputy Stdte Snork Hugh Pessner,ond BenWord.

IOWER LEFT: Are Chet King, Al Kelley ond Roy Nonn giving thoi woilress o hord time?

TOWER CENTER: Mourie Doubin, Roy Welch, Herb Crowford ond Bud Olsen.

IOWER RIGHT: Al Kelley (AGAIN?), Joe Grqff ond Jqck Hollonder.

San Francisco Hoo-Hoo Club 9, Santa Clara Valley Hoo-Hoo Club 170 and Coast Counties lloo-Hoo Club 114 again pooled their resources for a giant three-club Concat and dinner meeting at the Chez Yvonne restaurant in Mountain View, Friday evening, April 3. Close to 100 Bay area lumbermen representing Oakland Hoo-Hoo Club 39, Redwood Empire Hoo-lfoo Club 65 and the Black Bart

WI"/"0,/" b*bil,ho

FOR,EIGN AND DOMESTIC HARDWOODS

. HARDWOOD MOUTDINGS

Cleor Oqk Thresholds

. Rod qnd Spirol Dowels

. PLYWOOD

Wood Finishes, Glues qnd Hordwood Speciolties known for: GIUALITY . DEPENDABIIITY . SERVICE

Hoo-Hoo Club from far-off Ukiah, in addition to the three spollsoring clubs, joined in on the fun.

Cocktails and dinner preceded the Concat in order that the Kittens to be initiated could prepare themselves for the "ordeal" ahead.

Following dinner, the meeting was turned over to Visitiug Officer Jack Berry of Sacramento, Supreme Custocatian of Hoo-Hoo fnternational, and his initiation crew headed by Seaside Dealer Herb Swenson, president of the Coast Counties club ; Bob Buckley, head ol the Santa Clara club, and Jim Prime, president of San Francisco Hoo-lIoo Club 9.

Saginaw Cedar Shingles

Hove prolected Cqliforniq homes for 40 or more yeqrs, qnd still do so.

Saginaw Cedar Shingles

Hqve been sold oll these yeors

Saginaw Shingte Company Produces

And then, of course, there was the country voter who refused to vote for the city candidate because he sounded the "t" in often. * ,< ;i<

"You're drunk," remarked Jones to Smith. "Sure," said Smith. "I've been drunk three days-yesterday, today, and tomorrow." * * ,<

It certainly pays for a mountain to advertise, as proven by the case of Pike's Peak. There are 26 mountains in Colorado higher than Pike's Peak, but who can name one of them? Of course, Pike's Peak owes most, if not all, of its fame to its selection of a location. \Mere it located where some of the other 26 are, it would never have been heard of either, ,r ,r ,i

When Lincoln was first mentioned for the Presidency, there were thousands of people who laughed at the very prospect. He was green. IIe was awkward. He lacked grace. But he outlived his greenness and his awkwardness, and he lived to utter many thoughts that will last as long as civilization survives. The green and awkward countryman became immortal.

BY JACK DIONNE

Andrew Carnegie, one of the most generous and helpful men in this world's history, said: "I was born in poverty and would not exchange its sacred memories with the richest millionaire's son that ever breathed. Give me the life of the boy whose mother is nurse, seamstress, washerwoman, cook, teacher, angel and saint, all in one, and whose father is guide, exemplar and friend. Those are boys who are born to the best fortune. My experience is that wealth is liable to take the smiles away," >k + * rt has been said trrat 1ne Lrrt*ho-" was made in this world when the first mother crooned a lullaby to her first born. It preceded the first religion. That same philosophy

And speaking of this same Andrew Carnegie, during the panic of 1893 he approached a group of bankers in an Eastern city and asked for a loan of one million dollars-quick. They were aghast at the nerve of the Scotchman. "Such a loan would be unprecedented," they told him. And the Scot, who got paid $1.20 a week for the first year of his working history, twelve hours a day, calmly replied: "I am a man who does unpredictable things." He got the loan.