E

"The market for residential flooring probably will be smaller," he explained, "but the growing popularity of hardwood, particularly oak, indicates that it will gain a larger share of tl-re reduced market."

Among the meeting speakers introduced by President Milton Craft of Memphis was C. Arthur Bruce, vice-president of E. L. Bruce Co., and director of the NPA Lumber Division. Mr. Bruce reported that a cordial relationship exists between the industry representatives in the division and civilian and military authorities con'cerned with lumber industry problems.

George M. Fuller, Washington, D.C., vice-president of the National Lumber Manufacturers' Association, reported on current and prospective legislative developments affecting the lumber and hardwood flooring industries.

John W. Maher, Washington representative of the Association, discussed new F-HA regulations pertaining to installation of strip oak flooring over screeds in homes of concrete slab construction.

Association members, in a resolution approved unanimously, agreed to solicit support for the industry-sponsored Oak Wilt Research program. The program is designed to combat the disease which plant pathologists describe as a threat to the nation's oak timber.

Member companies of the Association account for approximately 70 per cent of the hardwood flooring output in the United States. Most are situated in the Southern and Appalachian regions, source of about 90 per cent of nation's total supply.

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Hess Joins Mengel

Robert W. Hess, one of America's foremost authorities on woods, has joined The Mengel Company, producers and manufacturers of foreign and domestic hardwoods, according to an announcement by A. L. Entwistle, vice-president.

Mr. Hess, formerlv of the U. S. Forest Service, received his B. S. degree in Forestry at Yale University in 1936. Shortly thereafter he became assistant professor at the lJniversity of Arkansas. From 1942 to 1945, he was in charge of wood and plastic development for Curtiss, - Wright. From Curtiss-Wright, he went to fessor, Forest Products.

Yale as Associate Pro-

During this time he also did consulting work, co-authored "Timbers of the New World" and served as editor of "Tropical Wood Magazine."

At The Mengel Company, Mr. Hess will be in charge of a development program for the use of tropical woods in the company's many hardwood products-fine furniture, flush doors, veneers, plywood, kitchen cabinets and wall closets.

Scrn Diego Delense Housing Area Enlcrged

The San Diego (Calif.) Defense Area, which last month rvas designated a critical defense area for housing, has been enlarged to include the sub-area of Escondido in which are located Camp Elliott and the Miramar Navy Air Station.

The designation of this sub-area as an enlargement of the San Diego area was made by Acting Administrator Edwin T. Gibson of the Defense Production Administration on reconmendation of DPA's inter-agency Committee on Critical Defense Areas.

Pursuant to this designation, and with the concurrence of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Housing and Home Finance Agency announced that credit- controls will be relaxed on 200 additional units of housing to be built in Escondido and its environs to assist in providing housing for the civilian and military personnel employed in or stationed at Camp Elliott and the Miramar Navy Air Station. Credit controls had previously been relaxed for 6,000 units in the San Diego area.

With Iim Kirby

Chris Miller is now associated with Jim l(irby, Los Angeles wholesale lumberman, rvho represents the SchaecherKux Lumber Co. Chris formerly operated his own wholcsale lumber business and prior to that was four years with tlie Wilfred T. Cooper Lumber Co. He is well known throughout the Southern California retail lumber trade.