Great Society Seen as Threat at NFPA Annual Meeting

"The plumbing for the Great Society is in place, but the faucets haven't been turned on. As soon as we see any sigrrs of recessions we will see the welfare state turned on full blast!"

Thus did Dr. George Cline Smitho econ' omist for the National Forest Products Association, sum up current national industry problems in five critical areas where government rcgulations afiect forest products operation before a capa.city audience at lest month's three-day meeting of NFPA in Washingon, D.C.

Nearly 1000 attended the convention, whose mernbers had gathered to elect new officers to the association, listen to official government and industry spokesmen and participate in panel discussions.

Elected as 1966 president of the National Forest Products Association was Gene C. Brewer, president of U.S. Plywood Corp. Brewer succeeds J. B. Edens of Southwest Forest Industries, Inc.

New first vice president of the association is Rueo€ll H. Ellso president and general manager of Willits Redwood Products Co., Willits, Calif.

Following the theme "Speak Up ' . Speak Out," 1000 lumbermen, government, congressional and construction-oriented of' ficials met May 3 for a ool,eadership Luncheon" .and participated in a panel discussion probe of the question'ois the private sector of our economy being phased out by government?" Panelists were Senators Eugene McCarthy (D-Minn.); Thurston B. Morton (R-fy.) and Representatives Hale Boggs (D-La.) and Melvin R. Laird (R-Wisc.). f,awrence C. Spivak, producer of TV's "Meet the Press," was moderator.

, GOVERNMENT OFFICIAI.S

Top government officials attending the meeting were Interior Secretary Stewart L. Udall; Undersecretary of Interior John A. Carver; Philip N. Brownstein, assistant secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development; Harry McPherson, Jr., special counsel to the president; James S. Duesenberry, member, president's council of economic advisors, and Joseph A. Califano, Jr., presidential assistant.

Udall complimented the industry on its "rational approacht' to recreation issues and pointed out that ". . you are more rational tlran some of your opponents."

Presidential assistant Joseph A. Califano gave the assembly some optimistic news with regard to the boxcar shortage. He stated that a supply of military boxcars in storage for defense purposes would be made available within the next two months. Presidential spokesman James Duesenberry pointed out that the White House is work' ing closely with the Interstate Commerce Commission and the American Association of Railroads to speed up turn-arounds and improve allocations of cars.

Gene Brewer explained the competitive structure of the lumber industry and plywood industries, the history of price trends, the efiect of boxcar shortages, defense orders, labor negotiations and seasonal factors of home construction.

Raw materials problems were aired by Charles Gray of American Forest Products Corporation, who pointed out that timber withdrawals are a serious threat to local industry modernization and expansion programs and to community stability. He requested '0. . . a greater opportunity for industry to participate in government planning," to reduce this instability.

Board Acts

NFPA's board of directors took action at the meeting to improve the position of the industry-nationwide-and to implement NFPA programs. The board:

Formally accepted the application of the National Woodwork Manufacturers Association for membership in NFPA;

Urged the association and federated members to concern themselves with efiorts seeking reimposition of export controls on black walnut logs by the Commerce De- partment to.relieve a shortage oI such logs in the country;

And recommended the NFPA pursue public relations policies aimed at telling the industry's story to the general public and opinion leaders on raw materials and natur' al resources.

At a luncheon meeting Sen. Peter H. Dominick (R-Colo.) told industry members that American businessmen are ". . fre. quently tongue-tied when it comes to building local support for their position on vital issues." Dominick urged lumbermen to ". . . start developing programs through your employees who share .your stake in national issues."

Agriculture Secretary Orville Freeman reviewed industry-government progress over the last year on joint .programs. He said the departrnent would continue ". to maximize timber available from national forests with a new record cut in fiscal 1967 oL 12.75 billion board feet!"

Freeman urged the industry to hold price increases within the President's guide. Iines of 3.2 percent.

Several new names appeared as NFPA officers f.ot 1966. Elected to serve as regional vice presidents were Loran L. Stewart, president of Bohemia Lumber Co.o Culp Creek, Ore., reprerenting the West. ern Wood Products Association; C. Russell Johnson, president of Union Lumber Co., San Franciscq representing the California Redwood Association; and W. L. Tabb, sales manager, Georgia-Pacific Corp., Augusta, Ga., representing the Southern Hardwood Manufacturers Association.

Awards Dinner

Another highlight of the three-day event was the annual Awards Dinner and the presentation of the forest products industry awards for 1966.

Top honors were presented to J. F. Koellisch, editor/publisher oI *Wood, and, Wood Prod,ucts," Chicago for building journalism; Dr. N. V. Poletika, vice presidenl research and development, Union Lumber Co., Fort Bragg, Calif., for applied research; John Storrs, Storrs and Associateg Portland, Ore., for wood structure design; Mark J. Schoknecht, logging manager, J. Neils Division, St. Regis Paper Co., Libby, Mont., for forest management; William A. Oliver, professor of civil engineering, University of Illinois, for industry cooperation and the Red Cedar Shingle & Handsplit Shake Bureau, Seattlg Wash., for industry leadership.

you'll find many of the features that are usually only available in much larger homes.

To begin with, the outline of the home is a simple rectangle which is the easiest and most economical to construct. The dis' advantage with the majority of rectangle homes is the poor exterior design. This is certainly not true with this plan' The large glass stationary windows in the front wall of the garage extend to the gable roof. The exterior design of the garage is further en' hanced by the circular planter in front of the windows. The two planters at the front wall of the bedrooms are tied together with a wide screen, supported by posts which rest on the inside walls of the planters. The final touch which adds much to the at' tractiveness of this home is the exceptionally wide eave overhang at the front of the home. This allows the facia of the garage to continue across the front of the house with no break between the two.