41st Hoo-Hoo-Annual Convention

Benjomin-F.-Springer-Re-elected

Benjamin F. Springer, of Milwaukee, Wis., was reelected Snark of the universe, at the 41st annual meeting of HooHoo International held at Pfister Hotel, Milwaukee, on September n, D, n, 1932. The lineup of the International executive board for. the coming year is as follows:

Senior Hoa'Hoe-William H. Burruss, Burruss Land & Lumber Co., Lynchburg, Va. (Reelectgd.)

Junior Hoo'Hoo-Ross C. Kuhlman, Cincinnati, Ohio, (Reelected.)

Bojum-Andrew J. Brady, Palburn, Inc., Buffalo, N. Y. (Reelected. )

Scrivenoter-William M. Wattson, T. M. Partridge Lbr. Co., Minneapolis, Minn.

Jabberwock-Arthur C. Bevan, Red Cedar Shingle Bureau, Seattle, Washington.

Custocatian-Ralph Webb, Webb Lumber Co., Winnipeg, Canada.

Arcanoper-Bert E. Bryan, Strable Hardwood Co., Oak'land, California.

Gurdon-Lynn A. Boyd, Merrick & Boyd, Pampa, Texas. Reports of Snark Springer and Secretary-Treasurer H. R. Isherwood, and the general discussion, reflected the fact that while the Order has sufiered along with other business in the general depression, it has proved its fundamental soundness and has rendered outstanding service to the industry.

It was agreed that the most vital need of the Order at this time is to substantially increase the membership, an objective which also is vital to the Lumber Industry as a whole. It was pointed out that the industry is suffering not only from the efiects of business conditions, but from its own lack of organized effort. A strong, united HooHoo would, it was agreed, furnish the nucleus for a militantly aggressive industry.

With the object of quickly boosting the membership, the convention made several important rulings, among them being:

Temporary suspension of the reinstatement penalty enabling all delinquent members to reinstate simply upon payment of one year's dues-$5.00.

Temporary suspension of the requirement that all applicants be initiated at a regular Concatenation. This ruling is to be applied at the discretion and under the supervision of the Supreme Nine.

Suspension of the reinstatement fee is designed to effect the return of many members who resigned from the Order last year upon the adoption of the Group Insurance feature and the accompanying increase in dues to $9.99.

Suspension of the initiation requirement is expected to facilitate the enrollment of many desirable lumbermen who in the past have objected to traversing the treacherous onion beds. Also, it is expected to permit a stronger and more direct solicitation of memberships byall officers, Hoo-Hoo clubs and the international offices.

Snark of the Universe

Secretary-Treasurer Isherwood "was instructed to publish The Bulletin at least quarterly and all in attendance heartrly agreed The Bulletin is the most important contact between the International Order and its members.

Snark Springer's report analyzEd the conditions and obstacles faced by the Order during the year, and emphasized the fact that its survival was due io the fundamental soundness of its purposes, ideals and policies.

"And, now," he said, "what lies before.us? To my mind there is much to be done, and it is work that only HooHoo can do. During all this period most of our clubs have been functioning. Some of them have done outstanding work in our program of promotion and education. We are about to face a great building revival. In the past decade we have had evidence of accumulative demands for buildirg. Right now, ready to break loose, is the greatest dammed-up demand which will be crying for release. What part our products will play in the next decade depends largely on the attitude and the energy of the men in our industry.

"Leadership is required in our national and state programs of conservation and reforestation. Unless the men in our industry take the lead it will be done by those who lack understanding and knowledge, to the detriment of our industry. The world must be taught that our forests must be used, that a shortage for future generations is not imminent, that only through the wise use of lumber will there be real conservation, and that conservation must be made commercially pr^ofitable to have any conservation at all."

The Snark recommended the acceptance of membership applications without initiation requirement, strict enforcement of the rule that members of Hoo-Hoo clubs also be members of the International Order, and the launching of a strong drive for members as a necessary preliminary to the carrying out of a strong program.

Secretary-Treasurer Isherwood's report said that "every fiber and sinew of Hoo-Hoo was tested to the very limit" during the year, and that the Order's survival is a tribute to the soundness of its structure and its ability effectively to serve the industry.

"I believe the Hoo-Hoo clubs can do more than any other force this year to restore the weakened confidence and revive the sick morale of the lumber industry," Secretary Isherwood said. "If these clubs will begin now to plan their programs and t'hen carry through regrtlarly and with enthusiasm, it will not be long before there is a general improvement in the mental attitude of the lumber industry. And when we get a better viewpoint we are going to be able to go ahead more agg'ressively than we have in the past."

The Secretary complim'ented the trade associations for their cooperation with the Order, and thanked the trade press for its support in the way of publicity.

He described in detail the reasons for the adoption and, later, the cancellation of the group insurance feature. It was adopted, he said, in the belief that its benefits woulcl be appreciated_ by the membership, but instead the higher dues rate it made necessary drove many members out of the Order. He pointed out that Hoo-Hoo is the property of the lumbermen themselves, and that it was the duty of the officers to cancel the insurance in the interests of the Order.

"The time is at hand," he continued, "when we must shape our program to meet the needs of our Industry. We must adjust ourselves to today's conditions and meet them with today's ideas. Any lumberman with the ability to visualize in his own mind the obstacles and the opportunities.confronting the industry, will readily see where HooHoo fits importantly into the industry,s picture.',

The insurance feature seriously retarded the work of the Order during the year, according to the Secretary, who pointed out that its adoption was followed by a tremendous volume of detail work that fell entirely on the smallstaff at the International Offices, and that the same situation also had to be faced when ihe insurance was cancelled.

"This is an era in the life of Hoo-Hoo and the industry that tests the vision, the confidence and the courage of all of us," Isherwood concluded. ft is easier doubtless, to sit down and hope for the return of better times-but it,s far better today and in the better times to come, to unite in a purposeful, unrelenting campaign of unified action that will produce the results we want. Our program cannot succeed unless we plan it wisely and support it with a driving spirit of teamwork that never lets down until we've attained our goal !"

The convention was unusual in one respect-seven Past Snarks of the lJniverse attended and took leading parts in the discussions. They were N. A. Gladding, Indianapolis, Seer of the House of Ancients; Harry J. Miller, Seattle ; Alton J. Hager, Lansing, Michigan; Arthur A. Hood, Chicago; James M. Brown, Spokane; Melvin M. Riner, Kansas City, and Franklin A. Hofheins, Bufialo.

Sam Boyd, president of the Twin Cities Hoo-Hoo Club:, Adolf Pfund, secretary-manager of the National Retaii Lumber Dealers' Association; Arthur Bevan, secr.etarymanager of the Red Cedar Shingle Bureau and member of the Supreme Nine; Charles Close, National Lumber Manufacturers' Association; R. C. Kuhlman and William H. Barruss, members of the Supreme Nine; O. C. Lance, secretary of the Northwestern Lumbermen's Association and retiring member of the Nine; E. A. Ehlert, Hoo-Hoo state counselor for Wisconsin, and a number of members representing various clubs addressed the convention and also offered constructive suggestions during the general discussions.

The Milwaukee Hoo-Hoo Club did itself proud in its entertainment of the convention, providing a banquet, stag party, golf tournament and other features for the men; and luncheon, bridge, theater party and tours for the tadies.

N. H. PARSONS RETURNS FROM EASTERN TRIP

N. H. Parsons of Pasadena, formerly connected with the lumber business in the Los Angeles territory but now with the State Mutual Life Assurance Co. of 'Worcester, Mass.. has returned from a trip tp Massachusetts where he visitecl the company's home office at 'Worcester. While in the east he also visited with relatives at Amherst, Mass., and New York Citv.

Woodsmen Use Watch As Compass

Weights

Priced

An improvement on the woodsman's method of telling directions by a watch has been discovered by a U. S. Forest Ranger in ldaho. If you point the hour hand of the watch at the sun then half way between the hour hand and twetve o'clock on the dial will be due south. Many persons who frequent the big open spaces know this and can navigate so long as there is sunshine. ft remained for the forest ranger to discover that even on a cloudy day the sun will cast a faint shadow if the tip of a knife blade or a pen point is set upright on the thumb nail. The sun may be invisible throush the clouds but there is atways a little more light, even though you cannot distinguish it, coming through the ctouds in front of the sun. Just as soon as yorl ean get this shadow you can point the hour hand at the place where the sun is and get your bearings.

Erosion Takes Large Toll Of American Soil

Twenty-one million acres in the United States have al_ ready gone entirely out of cultivation because of destruct_ ive erosion. This exceeds the total area of arable land in Japan. In many parts of the United States from ten inches to two feet of the top soil has been removed by erosion in the past thirty years.