3OO Attend N-AWH Colorodo Annuql to Heqr 'Whot's Right, Wrong With Wholesqle Business'

Colorado Springs, Colo., May 29, 1958-The 66th annual meeting of the National-American Wholesale Lumber Association, held at The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, was attended by over 300 men and women.

All nominees for directors were elected for the terms set forth. Donald R. Meredith, D. R. Meredith Lumber, Inc., Madison, Conn., was elected president for the ensuing year. He is the 40th man to hold this position. He succeeds Martin T. Wiegand of Martin Wiegand, Inc., Washington, D.C. The following officers were also elected: First Vice-President-J. Ward Allen, Allen-Stoltze Lumber Co., Ltd., Vancouver, B.C.; Second Vice-President-J. Alex McMillan, John C. Shepherd Lumber Corp., Charlotte, N. C., and Executive Vice-President-Sid L. Darling, New York, N.Y.

Since 1956, NIr. Darling has held the office of secretary in addition to executive vice-president. George E. Haring of New York was elected to succeed him as secretary. Mr. Haring has been a member of the.Association staff for over forty years and manages the Collection department and is in charge of all accounting.

John J. Mulrooney, H, M. Bickford Company, New York, N. Y., was elected to succeed Frank S. McNally as treasurer. Mr. Mulrooney is also a director of the association. The resignation of -Mr. McNally was received with deep regret. He had served in the capacity of treasurer conlinuously since 1948. Jefferson D. Keith was reappointed as assistant executive vice-president at New York. Donald S. Andrews of Portland, Oregon, was reappointed as Western manager. Paul C. Stevens of Portland, Oregon, continues on the staff as consultant.

Featured speakers on the first day's session were George M. Rideout, vice-president, Babson's Reports, Inc., Wellesley Hills, Mass. and Attorney Byron M. Gray of Topeka, Kansas. Mr. Gray will continue to press the objection of the National-American to the proposed accessorial charges before the fnterstate Commerce Commission.

The result of the questionnaire, "What's Right and What's Wrong with the Wholesale Lumber Busineis," was released and discussed during the morning session starting with breakfast and adjourning just prior to lunch. It was the first and most comprehensive survey ever to have been conducted. Earnest attention of apfroximately 200 was maintained throughout the session. Arthur A. Hood, chairman editorial board, American Lumberman, Chicago, Ill., conducted the survey and served as moderator during the discussion. Other members of the panel were Messrs-. Wiegand, Meredith, Allen and Darling.

This panel discussion was preceded by an illustrated address, "l,et's Build for Security," by Russ Fryburg, Eugene, Ore.

It's GOOD buslnera...to DC' buslnest...wllh NATIONAL.AIf, ERIGAI{ LUMBER WHOLESALERS

dent Meredith and Assistant Executive Vice-President

Keith were among' the "kittens." Attending the Concatenation were Past Snarks Martin T. Wiegand of Washington, D.C., Dave Davis of San Francisco, and Art Hood of Chicago, and Cliff Schorling of Kansas City, Mo.

Almost 300 were transported by bus and limousine to Fisher Canyon to enjoy an outdoor steak fry, Western style. Community singing proved to be popular around a huge campfire. It was a moonlight night put on especially by the gods for National-American. Mr. and Mrs. Jack Rawles of Dallas, Texas, won the first prize for the most colorful Western costume. Second prize as "runner-up" was won by Mr. and Mrs. James V. White of Bay City, Mich.

Excerpts from the talks by President Wiegand and Western Manager Andrews follow:

Address of Preeidcnt Martin T. Wiegand

66th Annual Convention

Colorado Springs, Colo.-May 27, L9SB

When you realize that this is the 65th annual meeting of our Association, you must pause and pay tribute to the stalwart group of organizers and also those who have led us thro,ugh the years.

There has been a lot of timber cut and lumber sawn in the past 66 years and the economic history of the country has witnessed its periods of good times, its ,panicky times, peace times, war times, ups and downs, inflation, deflation and recess,ion. The proble,ms of our predecessors were not unlike those we are facing today, We do have fancier names, though, for ou'r economic cycles-upwaid spirals, rolling adjustments, bottoming out.

Then, too, we have many more statistics to guide us with our problems. We even have the dope sheets with all the hedgcs to prove our ability when right and to justify our mietakes when wrong. Imagine our forefathers waiting in the woods for the arrival of the Monday mo,rning letter from Washington, before they decided their lumber cut for the day.

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The closing session was addressed by James C. O'Malley, Phoenix. Arizona, president of Nati,onal Retail Lumber Dealers Association, and N. Floyd McGowin of Chapman, Ala., president of the National Lumber Manufacturers Assn.

A dramatic, informative presentation of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association's publicity campaign in behalf of wood, regardless of species, by VanSant-Dugdale & Co. of Baltimore-, lVId., was the closing feature attraition of the program. This was witnessed by botfr the men and women attending the meeting in the theatre of the Broadmoor.

Among the approved resolutions was one reiterating and reemphasizing the National-American's urgent opposition to- the 3/o transportation tax which was transmilted by telegram to the chairman of the lIouse Ways & Meant commlttee,

__Ih" opening session was also addressed by Ernie L. Wales, Snark of tne Universe, who supervised a Hoo-Hoo Concatenation on the afternoon of l\{av 28, at which Presi-

This 66th Annual Meeting catches us at a time w,hen lu,mber demand is off. Perhaps this particular condition comes as a blessing in disguise. Perhaps we need the jog to appreciate that current quip-"It isn't so much the hard times coming as it is ,the soft times going." This slow-u'p in business has awakened us to the fact that lumber consumrption per capi,ta is on the decline, that oo,rnpetitive items are being used in place of wood and oftentimes made to look like wood in order to take our markets, and the irony is that they are using the good qualities of wood to make the sale-warmth, str€ngth, ease and low cost orf application.

It has awakened us, too, to the fact that all facets of the industry have not been together as a united industry to get our share of the consumer dollar. We have our quarrels with th€ manu,facturers, we have o,ur difrerences with the retailers, and we think consumera are just plain dumb if they don't appreciate and know all the fine qualities of wood.

We say that code authorities and fire insurance rating bureaus are not understanding. Some of us, besides blaming the Republican Party or the Democratic Party or the Supreme Court, are even intimating that the drop-oft in profit margins is caused by the officers of National-American.

Twelve months as Pre sident of National-American certainly provides one a very broadening education. You get a new focus otr the vastness of the lumber industry and you get to know the ability and the thinking of the men now directing i s fortun€s. We have leaders now, in my opinion, in cor-r,trol of our destinies who are broad minded, foresighted, and farsighted, and who are dedicated to do something about present conditions.

We are seeing the differen'ces between species and specifications cornpromised. Species selection takes its place at the point of sale. It turns out to be our jdb and that of the retailer to sell the species best suited.

We know that better feelings are existing throughout the rnanufacturing end. We have seen a desire on the part of retailers to move more lumber items. The most important thing, though, that we are seeing is that these leaders in our industry are proposing a top-level national promotion for lumber as such. We have planned a program which we hope will send you from this meeting surely a better member of Nati,o,nal-American, and also a more dedicated salesrrlan for wood and wood products. National-American must grow stronger in its membershi,p and treasury if we are to hold our place in the industry set-up. We have set-up an active rnembership com,rnittee. Give it your suppor,t.

Your Executive com'mittee met early last fall to draw up a set of objectives for this coming year and this convention. The Cost Survey and Material Handling Panel meetings are a result of their suggestions. The Executive committee also made these further suggestions to your officers and action has been taken on the foll,owing assignments : l. An evaluation of our office set-up and personnel in the New York and Portland offices.

2. The encouragement of sectional meetings of our members.

3. A three-day convention-

4, How b€st to use our promotional money.

5. Cooperation with the mills.

6. Cooperation with the retailer.

To say that serving this year as your Presidcnt has been