Lumber Industry Prepares National Lumber Code

Attendance at N. L. M. A. Annual Meeting Largest in Years

Chicago, July l-The thirty-first annual meeting of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association which concluded its three days' session-today, brought togeiher the largest assembly of all divisions of the lumber industry in many years. The all absorbing question before the general meeting and of many group meetings and committees, was the momentous one of adoption of a National Code of Fair Competition under the National Industrial Recovery Act, including a supplemental code of Trade Practices.

The Code of Fair Competition and Plan of Organization prepared by the National Lumber Manufacturers Association, was submitted with revisions by John D. Tennant, Chairman of the Emergency National Committee, representing the Nine Divisions of the lumber manufacturing industry. This Code was debated at the general meeting today, the final acceptance and adoption being left 1o the Board of Directors of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association. The resolution covering this action may be regarded as a sort of reconstruction of the lumber industrv for the period of the Industrial Recovery Act, and is as follows:

Emergency Comrnittee Deals With Code

RESOLVED that the nominees for membership on the proposed Emergency National Committee representing the nine Divisions of the lumber manufacturing industry be now constituted a special committee to consider the Tentaiive Outline of Code of Fair Competition including proposed plan of industry control organization, proposed supplements and amendments thereto, and code provisions submitted by each Division when completed to report its recommendations to the Board of Directors of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association, which will continue in session, or in recess, until said recommendations are received.

The Special Committee shall select as additional members, at large, three men of broad interests within the industrv not limited to any one division. It shall select its own chairman. -It shall consider the applications of other timber products industry groups for the establishment of Divisions as provided in the action of the Executive Committee on May 25 and, shall make recommendations with respect thereto.

The National Lumber Manufacturers Association, oursuant to the action of its Fxecutive Committee May 25th, will-submit to the President for approval, a Code of Fair Competition after having received the report and recommendations of the said Special Commit- tee now officially constituted.

RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Board of Directors of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association shall continue in session, or in recess until the report and recommendations of the Spe- cial Committee shall have been received.

Emergency National Coorrmittee of tlre Lu,mber Industry

The Emergency National Committee of the lumber indusfry remained in session following the adjournment of the annual meeting of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association. to continue work in reference io setting up the machinery of administration and dealing with code matters. -Tliis Committee which will be the liaison body between the lumber and forest products industries and the industrial control administration in Washington, is as follows, according to the several divisions of the industry:

Cypress-M. L. Fleishel, Putnam Lumber Co.. Shamrock, Fla.

Hardwood-C. A. Bruce, Bruce Lumber Ind., Memphis, Tenn,; Fre! Bringa-rdner, Bringardner Lumber Co., Lexington, Ky.; E. B. Ford, Mengel Co., New Orleans; C. A. Goodman, Sawyir- Goodman Co., Marinette, Wis.

Northern Hemlock-Ralph Hines, Edw. Hines Lumber Co., Chicago.

Northern Pine-S. L. Coy, Northwest Paper Co., Cloquet, Minn.

Northeastern Softwood, R. S. Brownell, Central Pac. Co., Williamsport, Pa.

Redwood-C. R. Johnson, Union Lumber Co., San Francisco.

Southern Pine-Chas. Green, Eastman, Gardiner Co., Laurel, Miss.; A. J. Peavy, Peavy Wilson Co., Shrevesport, La.;,C. C. Sheppard, Louisiana Central Co., Clarks, La.

West Coast Logging and Lumber Industries-E. W. Demarest, Pa- cific National Lumber Co., Tacoma, Wash.; M. E. Reed. Reed Lumber Co., Shelton, Wash.; J. D. Tennant, Chairman, Long-Bell Lumber Co., Longview, Wash.

Western Pine-B. W. Lakin, McCloud River Lumber Co.. McCloud. Calif ; Ralph Macartney, Weyerhaeuser Timber Co., Klamath Fatls, Oregon.

At Large-J. W. Blodgett, Grand Rapids, Mich.; W. M.. Ritter, W. M. Ritter- Lumber Co., Columbus, Ohio; F. E. Weyerhaeuser, St. Paul, Minn.

Temporary Retail Representative-A. J. Hager, Hager Cove Co., Lansing, Mich.

Temporaiy Wholesale Representative-Max Myers, N.icola, Stone & Myers Co., Cleveland.

Tempoiary -Woodwork Representative-E. J, Curtis, Curtis Companies, Clinton, Ia.

The purpose of the lumber and timber products industries and of the adherents to the Code is dectared therein to be to restore, as may be practicable, the rates of wages paid within these industries to the rites prevailing in 1926. These rates are to be adjusted "in proportion to changes in the cost of living"; 1nd to be periodically ievised "in such manner as will currently reflect an equitable adjustment to the average market price of tumber and timber products; to maintain a reasonable balance between the production and the consumption of lumber and timber products; to restore the prices thereof to levels which will avoid the further depletion and destruction of capital assets; and to conserve forest resources and encourage the sustained production thereof." Lumber and timber products qre defined for tht purposes of the Code as including logs (excepting pulpwood) poles-and piling, sawn lumber, planing mill products (except products of planing mills operated.in conjunc'tion-with retail lumber yards), shingles, millwork, flooring, veneers, plywood, dimensions, 1ath.

Membership in National Lurnber Manufacturers Association

In compliance with the law membership in the National Lumber Manufacturers Association was declared open to any person, firm, nartnershio or corooration. throush membershio in affiliated re- partnership corporation, through membership iional tumber assoiiations, or in divisions of the- industry in which [here is no such association. through individual membership, or to lhere is no such association, any association of- pgrso.ns gngag-e$ in the loqging of timber, or in scription fees or other assessments, if any, shall be uniform or at uniform rates, based on the production or shipment of members' rtorm based or memDers' the prodd:ction and distribution of lumber or timber products. Sub- bers the Emergency Committee,

The divisions at present established with the number of memrs accorded to each on the Emersencv Committee. which becomes the governing body of the industry under the Recovery Act, are: cypress industry 1; hardwood industry 2; northern pine 1; northern hemlock 1; north-eastern softwood 1; redwood 1; southern pine 3; west coast logging and lumber 3; western pine 2; at large 3; wholesale distributois 1; retail distributors 1; lumber exporters 1. Additional divisions and representation for them is authorized.

The Emergency National Committee is to appoint from its own me'mbership i National Control Committee of five members, which Committee is to serve as an executive agency for the Emergency National Committee. The expenses incident to the work of the Emergency National Committee are to be prorated among all producers and manufacturers of lumber and timber products in proportion to monthly production or shipments, not exceedine lrlc per M board feet and shall be collected through the appropriate divisions or by the Committee directly.

Provision is made for collective bargaining regarding labor mat's-and no emolovee is to be reouired to ioin anv comDanv union ters-and employee requi or to refrain from joining a labor or1

Jorn any company unron a labor organization of his own choosing. Employers agree to comply with the maximum hours of labor, minimum rates of pay and other conditions of emptoyment approved or prescribed by the President of the United States. The maximum hours of tabor and minimum wages are to be specified as later agreed upon by the various divisions and approved by the Emergency National Committee. Each Division is similarly to establish a scale of minimum orices.

The Emergency Committee is to establish production quotas for the lumber and timber products industries and for each Division and groups or areas not included with any Division. Each Division, subject to approval by the Emergency Committee, shall impose reoroduction bv its members as mav necessarv keep production within the limits of its quota. Distribution is covered by the orovisions of the National Code of. Trade Practices and Nationat Sales Policy, which is made a part of the general Code. Manufacturers are not permitted to setl to distributors who reselt or ofier to resell at prices less than the estabtished minimum. Weekly reports are required from each manufacturer to his Division, covering production, orders and shipments and a monthly report on number of persons employed, wage rates and hours worked; and atso a monthly statement of costs on a standard and uniform accounting strictions on production by its as may be necessary to form; there is also to be a daily report on orders accepted showing f.o.b. mill prices and destination. Provision is made for voluntary agreements between persons engaged in logging and manufacture, or between organizations or groups subject to approval by the Emergency Committee. Amendments to the Code may be proposed by, any Division to the Emergency National Committee oi may be initiated by that Committee. Each Division is to submit a Complete Division Code to the Emergency Committee, in conformity with the provisions of the National Code, which is authorized to coordinate provisions in respect to hours, wages, production and minimum prrces.

Trade Practices

At a meeting of manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers held on July lst, a Code of Trade Practices was adopted, the meeting being presided over by Harry T. Kendall, Chairman of the Trade Piactices Committee. The basis of the discussion was a draft of rules and regulations submitted by Mr. Kendall on behalf of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association. The draft was largely based on the existing Code of Ethics. The crucial question abbul which a long and animated debate revolved was that of distribution methods. A Committee of nine consisting of three members each from retailers, wholesalers and manufactuiers with W. T. Murrav of the Tremont Lumber Co., New Rochelle, La., as Chairman, wai finally appointed to resolve the problem. This Committee eventually submitted_ a- majority report of eight and a minority report of one. The majority report, which was adopted for submission to the Emergency National Committee, determined distribution as follows:

"To assure economical and orderlv distribution of the oroducts of the lumber industry, to make them readitv available to 'the con- ur .rrc rurlucr Io maKe reaolty availaDle to tne sumer, to protect and f oster small retail distributors. and in accordance with the seneral oractice of lumber distribution- manufac- cordance general turers and wholesalers w ice of distribution. manufac- wrth general practtce ot lumber distrrbution, turers will confine their sales to bona fide retait distributors, except as mutually agreed to by the respective associations in the locality affected when made in carlots oi more to the following classes of consumers, which may be sold directly by manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers aliki:: (a) to and ior-the departments of the United States Governmeni and State Governments; (b) ship yards and large dock buitders and dams and bridges; (c) dire,ctly or indirectly to railroads; (d) large users of industrial lumber, who buy regularty in carload lots, but not for construction purposes.

The feature of an informal meeting on Thursday of representatives of the various interests represented in the general gaihering, was 1n glplalation and_inter^pretation of the Industrial Recovery Act by Dudley Cates, of Washington, Assistant Administrator. Mr. Catei explained that the administration favored one basic code for the whole lumber industry, with the necessary modifications to suit the peculiar requirements of regions and particular sub-groups. He thought that a minimum national wage would be desirable. In discussing the.question of production costs and prices, he said that the natural resource industries would have more latitude in establishing prices than the secondary manufacturing industries. He was of the opinion that no basic price could be established that would "hold the umbrella" over all producing units in the lumber industry. Many questions were asked of Mr. eates in this informal meetiig. H; evaded none, but frankly stated his inability to give satisfactory answers to some. Mr. Cates made a formal address on the subjdct of the.Industrial Recovery Act at the general meeting yesterday (Fridav).

Wilson Cornptonls Address

The feature of the general meeting on Friday was a review of the incidence of the National Industrial Recoverv Act on the lumber industry by Wllson Compton, Secretary and-Manager of the National Lumber Manufacturers' Association under thJ caption-"The Lumber Industry is at the Front." Dr. Compton's address was enthusiastically applauded and widely commended as an outstanding exposition of the general significance of the Industrial Recoverv Aci and especially of its application to the lumber industry. (Copies may be obtained from the office of the National Lumbei Manufacturers Association, Washington, D. C.) "The law itself is defec- tive," he said, "and in parts vexatious and objectionable, but its possibilities of good in my opinion far outweigh its probabilities of evil. If wisely used it may be made to establish a Magna Charta for the Forest Products Industries of America. In what ii has fallen to my lot to do in thi_s undertaking, I have been prompted by a single ourpose: To deliver to this industry a fighting chahce to-reestablish, for itself and for its employees, security and an opportu- nity to prosper, to perpetuate the forest sources of its own livelihood, and to establish this industry in the good will and confidence of the American people."

Sustained Yield Propoeals

In dealing with the relation oi the Industrial Recoverv Act to forest perpetuation and the introduction of the practice of iustained yield forest operations, Dr. Compton referred to efforts being made by va-rious agencies, to use the act as a means of introducing forestry practices. Although during the four years of depression ihere has been a setback to conservative. forest management Dr. Compton pointed out that prior to 1929, 600 lumber concerns had undertaken deliberate commercial forest management. However, peimanent progress toward the protection and productive maintenance of forest resources in private ownership could not be made without the abandonment by the. timber states of their present confiscatory systems of taxation, until there is more effective and dependabte protection of forest properties from destruction, and until there is a deliberate abandonment by public and private agencies of the alarmists and defeatists "timber famine" propaganda. In order to establish a common ground for all interested in the forests Dr. Compton said that he had taken steps looking to the holding of a meeting within the next few weeks of Federal and State Forestry officials, spokesmen of public forestry conservation agencies and the forest induitries for the purpose of "formulating a concerted and constructive program of public and industry action, which in some eftective naiional form may gradually substitute sound forestry management in the wgods for the emotional forest debates of the last quarter century."

In this connection Dr. Compton read a letter from Secretary of Agriculture Wallace, in which he said that President Roosevelt-had asked him _to say that he trusted that any code relating to the cutting of timber would contain "some definite provision foi the control of destructive exploitation." In the discusslon which followed. the phrase "destructive exploitation" was described as inaccurate. it being hetd th-at timber cutting practice was largely due to confiscatory taxation of standing timber. This subject came up again in th-e general meeting of the National Lumber ManufacturCrs Association. and the American Fores{ Products Industries today (Saturday) iri the form of a communication from the American Forestry Asiociation, _calling attention to a resolution of that body recommending sustained yield operations. It was the sense of the meetins that permanent progress toward productive maintenance of private forests cannot be made without reform of confiscatorv svstems of taxa-

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Much Too Much

Too much oats and too much wheat,

Too much corn and too much heat,

Too much cotton, too rnuch oil,

Too many hours that we don't toil.

Too many highways, too many cars,

Too many people behind the bars.

Too much poverty, too much wealth,

Too many people in ill health.

Too many politics, too much booze,

Too many wearing high heeled shoes.

Too much loafing, too many bets,

Too many failing to pay their debts.

Too many spending their dough on gas'

Too much taking of Europe's sass.

Too many living beyond their means,

Too many buying canned corn and beans.

Too many sowing their crop of wild oats,

Tog many candidates after votes.

Too many hiring their washing done,

Too many playing bridge for fun.

Too many looking for Uncle Sam,

Too many people who don't give a damn.

Too many poets, too much prose,

Too rnany girls without underclothes.

Too much buying goods on time,

Too many people don't save a dime.

Too much ball, too much play,

Too many politicians on big pay.

Too many taxes, too much spent,

Too rnany folks spend every cent.

Too much fun, too much ease,

Too many rips in my B.V.D.'s.

Too much reform, too much law, It's the darndest mess you ever saw.

-Gusherville News.

The Cost

Progress always involves risks. You can't steal second base and keep one foot on first.-The Vancouver Sun.

The Change

With Violet cuddling in his arms, He drove his Ford-poor sillyWhere once he held his Violet, There now is clasped a lily.

Character

"You cannot carve rotten wood," says a Chinese proverb. Nor can you carve decrept and decayed character into any economic system or scheme of government that will work happiness for men. It is an old emphasis, but it is indispensible, and just now we may well get back to it.-Harry Emerson Fosdick.

Too Tough For Him

The hermit came from the mountains to the city to see what changes were taking place in the world of men which he had not seen for many years.

As he entered the city, he was struck by a sign that lssd-"f1y Ethel-20 cents." But he started on, when at the next corner he saw another sign, "Two gals 35 cents." Then he turned and started back for the mountains. The world was going along too fast for him.

She Was Young

The young wife was trying to wait on her sick husband while the nurse was away for a few hours rest. When it came to taking his temperature she bungled the job nervously, and finally rushed to the phone and called the doctor.

"Doctor," she cried in agony, "come at once. My husband's temperature is 126 degrees."

The shrewd old doctor guessed the truth.

"Too late for me to do any good, my dear," he said, "call the fire department."

Muzzled

Bride: "Who is the man in the blue coat, darling?"

Groom: "That's the umpire, dear."

Bride: "Why does he wear that funny wire thing over his face?"

Groom: "To keep from biting the ball players, precious."