'!(/estern Pine Association's Semi-Annual Meeting

'Ihe \\restern Pine Association's semi-annual meeting held in l'ortland, Oregon, August 2l and 22 brought out the largest attendance er.er recorded for a midsummer rneeting. Itepresentatives from rnills producing Idaho White pine, Ponderosa pine, Sugar pine and associated species in all states west of the Rockies gathered together to discuss matters of importance to the industry.

Homer B. Jamison, of the Byles-Jamison Lumber Company, Fresno, California, president of the Association reviewed the events of the past six months in legislative and labor fields, citing the relaxing of most government controls and the rvage increase of Z2f cents per hour which not' brings the common labor minimum to $1.30 Per hrrql in much of the region.

"The Western Pine Industry Should Be Alert'to Ne'"v Trends" u'as lhe subject of S. V. Fullaway, Jr's address to the meeting. NIr. Fullaway, secretary-manager of the Association said these trends deserved the attention of all operators; such as change in volume, species and grades of regional production, change in proportion of regional production from different sized units, change in rvage, cost and price levels, change in manufacturing ancl utilization practice and change in distribution methods. It is anticipated annual volume of production for the next 10 years u'il1 be betr,r'een 5 billion and 6 billion feet board measure u'hich is eclual to the best years of the preu'ar level.

An analysis of pine select and shop grades shows very littie change in the percentages of each manufactured during the past 10 or 12 years. On the other hand 27a/o oI the log rvas sold as box and 35/o as commons during the 193539 period. This changed to 18% box and 12/o commons in 791O-44 period he said.

Nfr. Fullau,ay said further that increased output of White hr, larch and Douglas fir should be rr-raintained; that the trend is tou'ard a smaller a\Ierage production unit, and that the present high level of u,ages, costs and prices rvill be subject to adjustment witl-r a return to prervar levels not to be expected in the forseeable future. He also urged operators to consider greater refinement of the product ar-rd closer utilization of the tree for larger ecouotnic returns tl-rus permitting real forestry in the n'oods. An imrtrecliate objective sho-"rld be a return to sottnd distribution merlrods during this period of readjustment with undesirable features eliminated according to Mr. Fullaway.

W. E. Grifiee, assistant secretary-manager said general business factors indicate little price drop, and a continuing high demand for lumber. FIe said: "The prices of building materials have gone up more than rve like and they have been a brake on construction activity the increase since 1939 has been just about the same as the average increase for all commodities and iust over half the rate of increase for farm products."

Chapin Coliins, managing director of the American Forest Products Industries Inc., lVashington, D.C., reviewed the activities of his organization and discussed plans for future work.

The rreeting concluded with reports of the chairmen of the grading, research, forest conservation, statistical, traffic and'promotion committees of the Association.

Plywood Production Slowly Increasing U. S. Plywood Head Says

Lawrence Ottinger, president of L'nited States Plyr.r'oocl Corporation, rnade the follou'ing statement at the annual meeting of stockholders:

"The price policy of the company has resulted in numerous expressions of appreciation from customers throttghottt the country. Tire distribution prices are in gleneral substantialll. lorver than competition on all the important iten-rs both hardr'voods and softwoods.

"The critical shortage of the latter still exists and the gray market operators and other opportunists continue to take advantage of the situation. Industry production is increasing slou''ly btrt it is limited by the availabilitl. of old grorvth timber required for plys.ood manufacture so that it does not seem likely that supltlv rvill meet demand uniess there is a reversal in general economic c<tnditions.

"The compairy is straining every effort to increase its orvn production and has been successfttl as indicatecl bv the volume of business l>eing done. It is ur-rable to satisfy completelv its large lists of accotints."

The stockholders re-elected all present directors ar.r11 adderl E. 13. Creigh to the Board.