The Benefits of Deoler Associotion illembership

. By Hol A. Brown, President 42nd Annual Meeting, S.C.R.L.A.-April 7' 1959

A report on the affairs of the Association certainly cannot be considered the spice of the program. It is well, therefore, to turn it loose near the start of proceedings when everyone is fresh and there is little hazard of the monotonous string of statistical and fiscal data being drowned out in a cacophony of snores.

We are one of 33 Regional Groups comprising the National Retail Lumber Dealers Association with headquarters in Washington, D.C., the support of which is maintained bv the active members. As contributors towards the success -of our sector of ttle construction industry, we annually appraise the results of our efforts individually and as a group. Last year in our report, a copy of which was sent to all members, we made a rather detailed resume of the basic framework of the SCRLA. There has been little change since, so rather than impose on you, most of whom are old members, with a duplication, we will treat this talk as supplemental with the suggestion that new members, if you wish, may obtain the 1957 report from the Association Office.

During the year there has been no change in our dues structurC among the Active, Sustaining and Associate Members. From April 8th, 1958, to March 19, 1959, we lost 14 Active Members, eight of which because of discontinuance of operations for one reason or another. In the same period we gained 11 new Active Members. We lost five Sustaining Members, three of whom were outside Los Angeles County, and gained one new one. In Associate Membership we lost 13, seven of which because of discontinuance of operations. We gained 15 new ones. The net result is that we now have 221 Active Members, 40 Sustaining and 104 Associate Members.

Our total income for 1958 as compared to 1957 was an increase of 5.8/o. Rather than to now go into more detail on these matters, if you are interested, may we refer you to the Director in your area who has the Auditor's Report for this and a comparison with previous years. Always a surprising feature to those not familiar with the many activities of SCRLA is that 45% of. our revenue comes through channels other than dues, from special services such as the administration of several Insurance Funds, Employers Council, Millwork Catalogues, Welfare and Retirement Fund. Workmen's Compensation Service Fee, Lumber Training Institute, Intereit Accruals.

This latter arises from $16,000 in Government bonds impounded as a Sinking Fund for the purchase or construction of our own office quarters. In the interest of economy, convenience and parking facilities, it is desirable that we get away from the high-rent district in which we are now located as soon as possible. In the matter of income, we would be remiss did we not mention the revenue derived from the rental of sDace to the Exhibitors at this Convention. In a substantial degree they help make this gathering possible and certainly more interesting and valuable to us as potential users of their merchandise and services. To them we extend our appreciation and thanks. We urge the membership to take full advantage of what they have to ofter.

Multifarious Services of Association

As a refresher, we will give you a quick sketch of some of the multifarious activities and services of the Association. There is the Lumber Association Insurance Fund at a low premium cost designed for medical, surgical and life insurance coverage up to $30,000 for salaried employes and their dependents. No medical examination is required. 140 companies are participating. Since 1952 medical claims of $598,000 and life insurance claims of $224,500 have been paid against premium receipts of $1,100,000. During the past year a Master Trust Agreement has been drawn to cover retirement for salaried employes. It is of such latitude that it can be fitted to cover the varied needs and wishes of individual firms.

Group Workmen's compensation is participated in by many firms. The experience rating has been high and resulted in substantial dividends to the members. One of the so-called fringe benefits, the Health and Welfare Insurance and Retirement Plan, is negotiated yearly by the Lumber Employers Council with five different Unions. Although the Council and its functions are no part of the Association. the book work and collections are rnade and recorded in the SCRLA office, for which we are compensated, and deposited with the Bank Trust Department. It is calculated thit almost $3 Million will inure annually to this Fund. That ain't hay in anybody's language.

You don't need a pencil and the back of a shingle to figure what that does to the cost of doing business_or to Mr. Joe Doakes building his home, if, as and when the retailers get around to passing such charges on to the customer where they ultimately belong. This, of course, is just one tassel to the ever-increasing fringe that is being shoved down American throats through unbridled monopolistic labor dictatorship-and so we give another twist to the inflationary spiral.

Under Able Guidance of Orrie Hamilton

It would be a bulky undertaking to list all the meetings and activities arranged through the SCRLA office under the experienced and able direction of Orrie Hamilton, our executive vice-president. Every member should sometime during the yeai pay a visit to these busy headquarte_rs. Th-e printing esiablishment alone is of no mean prop_ortion. A-ll of tfre matter including Bulletins, Programs, Year Book, Badges, Reports, stationery, etc. emanate from-thi-s Pl-a"I' Out- of thil office, of course, works that Grade-Mark Viking, Erik Flamer, a whale of a man dolng a whale- of a job.-Last September, Ed Gallagher was added to Orrie's cr-ew, a valuable adjunct to liaison and contact work in the field.

(To Be Concluded, in the Nert Issue)

The Lumber Merchants Association is pleased to welcome into membershio the following firms:

Chas. C. Meek Lumber Company, Redding-E. H. Haunschild, general manager;

Kelsey Lumber Company, Placerville-J. B. Hassler, sales manager;

Longfellow Lumber Company, Chico-Carl W. Dietz, managlng owner.

We are also pleased to welcome into Associate membership the J. H. Baxter & Company, San Fran- cisco, and P.B.M. of Santa Rosa.

The following Resolution was adopted by the LMA Board of Directors and forwarded to appropriate lumber-grading agencies to draw attention to the lack of grade-stamp policing, by some ag'encies, where facsimile stamps have been employed by unauthorized personnel to the detriment of local, ethical lumber dealers. We, and your fellow dealers, will appreciate your reporting of any such similar activity in your area to the Association's office:

The Board of Directors of the Lumber Merchants Association of Northern California, meeting in regular session at Yosemite National Park on Apri'l 2l,1959, did resolve as follows:

Resolution

On motion duly made, seconded and carried, the following preamble and resolution were unanimously adopted:

Whereas, a primary objective of this Corporation is to establish and maintain high materials standards within the lumber and building materials industry and to encourage sound business practices, and,

Whereas, the Lumber Merchants Association of Northern California, did, by resolution of its Board of Directors, on April 12, 1949, make known to appropriate parties its support of the principle of grade marked lumber, which resolution is hereby reaffrrmed, and,

Whereas, responsible lumber manufacturing and grading organizations have established and promoted widely recognized grade stamps to identify grades of lumber to users thereof in terms of intended use, and which practice has been to the credit and benefit of the entire construction industry, and,

Whereas, it has come to our attention that facsimile grade stamps have been employed by unauthorized persons, which action we believe to be to the detriment of the lumber industry. It has further come to our attention that said violations, in many instances, have not been prosecuted by responsible grade-marking agencies, even though having been made known to said agencies, rvhich practice we believe is rapidly resulting in a lessening of confidence in the grade stamping principle.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED that the Lumber Merchants Association of Northern California hereby urges and recommends that responsible grading agencies inaugurate a continuing field surveillance program; that all unauthorized use of facsimile grade_ stamps be vigorously investigated and, where ap- propriate, offenders be prosecuted by appropriate grademarking agencies and we further request that the risults

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