'Operotion: Home lmprovemenl' Lclunched

The Chamber of Commerce of the United States, Washington, D. C., announced that plans to make 1956 the biggest year on record for home improvement are under way now in the entire building industry. F. Stuart Fitzpatrick, manager of the National Chamber's Construction and Civic Development Department, said that manufacturers, dealers, builders, and lenders will integrate advertising and sales promotion under the banner, "Operation Home Improvement." Fitzpatrick is chairman of the Operation Home fmprovement Committee, which originated the idea to popularize 1956 as "the year to improve your homeeverybody's doing it."

Operation Home Improvement, a down-to-earth sales program, should help create many millions of dollars of extra home improvement business for retail lumber dealers next year.

Making It Easy-The entire campaign will be directed at making it. easy for homeowners to do the job themselves, or get the job done. Serving with Fitzpatrick are directors of the National Association of Home Builders, National Retail Lumber Dealers Association, Producers Council, National Electrical Contractors Association, United States Saving and Loan League, National Association of Real Estate Boards, Portland Cement Association and the National Lumber Manufacturers Association.

A Cooperative Effort-These and other national associations now are joining forces with 4O building material producers and equipment manufacturers for the campaign scheduled to begin in January with an official launching by the administration. The campaign will continue throughout 1956, and will be financed by manufacturers and associations. Albert M. Cole, Housing and Home Finance Administrator, has said Operation Home fmprovement rvill fill the last gap in the nation-wide program to meet housing needs. The other major needs, home building and slum clearance, are being fillecl respectively by the Housing Act of 1954 and the American Council to Improve Our Neighborhoods (ACTION).

Jack Doscher, who has made several electrifying film presentations, has been loaned by Life Magazine for one year to direct Operation Home fmprovement on a full time basis. Enough money already has been contributed or pledged by various industry associations, including NRLDA, and by manufacturers to insure a first-rate, hardhitting program. NRLDA Executive Vice-President H. R. Northup is treasurer of the Operation Home Improvement committee.

Doscher and his staff, rvorking closely with NRLDA and other organizations, will prepare tie-in promotional materials and offer them to members. NRLDA's Public Relations Department will prepare additional plans and materials designed to help bring added modernization business into the retail yards.

NRLDA believes this is going to be a tremendous pro- gram for the retail lumber dealer and all should be making plans to help dealers cash in on it to the fullest extent. Consumer magazines which know about Operation Home fmprovement have promised all-out support. High ranking officials in the federal government lvill give the program their blessing.

Interested dealers should get their communities or€fanized so as to make the most of the program. The Dealer Operating Guide chapter entitled "Horv to Operate a Home Improvement Service" (Section VII, Chapter VIII) is tailor-made for dealers ll'ho r,r'ant to cash in on this program.

Norrh-Robbins Plywood Options

Slevenson Plsnt for Go-op

Seattle, Wash.-North-Robbins Plywood, fnc., which distributes the output of a number of mills in Washington, Oregon and California (most recently the Northern California Plywood mill at Crescent City formerly known as Paragon), now has an option to purchase the Stevenson (Wash.) Plywood plant and form it as a co-op. When the deal is completed, North-Robbins will also have the entire output of that mill, which has also served customers in the past throughout California.

The North-Robbins California representative, L. D. "Hote" Houghton, who headquarters in Eugene, Ore., made a trip through the state the weeks of September 12 and 19 and expects rvithin the next few months to establish his permanent headquarters in California.

The Yord Office Towel

By Jock Dionne

When I think of the towel, The old-fashioned towel, That used to hang up By the yard office door, I think that nobody In these days of shoddy, Could hammer out iron To wear as it wore.

The teamsters abused it, The yard men all used it, The bookkeeper tried it When others were gone, The shed man, the foreman, The customer-poor manEach rubbed some grime off As they put a heap on.

It grew thicker, and rougher, And harder, and tougher, And each day it took on An inkier hue; 'Til one windy morning, Without any warning, It fell to the floor AND \vAS BROKEN IN T\^/O.

Stondqrd - TemperedDuolux

Ridgewood . Pegboqrd & Fixtures

Pqnelwood . Pqnelply

Richkrofi Poper o Tie Wire Screen & Hqrdwqre Cloth

R,OCKPORT IS THE WORD FOR REDWOOD

That's what so many of our dealer friends have kindly told us. Certified Dry Redwood Bevel Siding and Finish are Rockport's specialties-the kind of lumber that pays off for everyone concerned with its production, sale and use. *

Rounds Lumber Contpany is exclusiae distributor f or Rockport Red;wood and sales agent f or other leading Redwood mills. Round's also represents producers of top quality Douglas Fir, W hite Fir, Ponderosa Pine and Sugar Pine.