State Retailers Hold Annual at Del Monte

Adopt New Constitution and By-laws

It is freely conceded that the annual convention of the California Retail Lumbermen's Association held at Hotel Del Monte, Del Monte, Calif., October 22 and23, set a high mark of excellence from all points of view. There wal a large attendance of retail lumbermen and their ladies, and of manufacturers' and wholesalers' representatives. The business sessions were well attended.

The convention adopted a nerv constitution and by-laws for the Association, the purpose of which, accordingio the preamble, is "to unite the retail dealers engaged inlhe distribution of lumber, and/or lumber products and other building materials, in an association for the mutual benefit of its members." According to the new setup organized groups of retail lumber and/or retail lumber and bu-itding material dealers, as well as individual persons, firms or coiporations who qualify, will be eligible for membership in the Association. The present board of directors will-function for a period of four months, until the new board is elected.

Ge,grge W. LaPointe, of Menomonie, Wis., president of the National Lumber Dealers Association. addressed the convention on the subject of "Trade Associations." Other subjects discussed included taxation and increased costs of doing business, grade-marking, trade promotion, economy in building small homes, Federal Housing Program, and the Robinson-Patman Bill.

Praise was heard on all sides for the perfection of the convention arrangements. Chief credit mult be accorded to J. O. Handley, M. J. Murphy, Inc., Carmel, general chairman, and to his first lieutenant, Fred A. Witmer, secretary, Monterey Peninsula Lumbermen's Club. Other contributois to the outstanding success of the convention included Chas. G. Bird, Stockton Lumber Co., Stockton, chairman of exhibits committee; F. Dean Prescott, Vallev Lumber Co.. Fresno, chairman of program committee; Harold Prince, Tynan Lumber Co., Monterey, chairman of hotel and banquet ,committee; James A. Greenelsh, ITomer T. Hayward Lumber Co., Pacific Grove, chairman of entertainmeni committee, and George A. Good, Pacific Grove, chairman of registration committee.

Everything possible was done for the comfort and entertainment of convention visitors, and many of them expressed their appreciation of the beautiful setting of HotCl Del Monte and its fine service. It is safe to sav that all who attended will have pleasant memories of ttre 1936 convention.

Thursday

_ First gq the program was the breakfast meeting of the Redwood Relations Committee at 8:00 a. m. Toint chairmen atthis conference were W. K. Kendrick. Vallev Lumber Co., Fresno, and Fred V. Holmes, Holmes Eureka Lumber Co., San Francisco. Subiects discussed were Redwood trade promotion, grade mirking. structural material and shingles. The attendance of 4O included Carl Bahr, president of the California Redwood Association. retailers-from all parts of the State and representatives of all the Redwood manufacturers.

There was a large entry for the golf tournament which got under way at 1:30 p. m. on the Del Monte course. In the tournament, a blind bogev one. Ed Green, IJnion Lumber Co., San Francisco: Charlie Wilson. American Lumber & Treating Co., San Francisco; H. S. Cheney, fnsulite Co., San Francisco, and Ed Seward, Dolbeer & Carson Lumber Co., Los Angeles, tied for first place. After drawing lots the prizes were awarded as follows: 1st. Ed Seward: 2nd. Ed Green; 3rd, Charlie Wilson; 4th, H. S. Cheney.

In the draw for the winner of the J. H. Holmes cup, Ed Seward won from Ed Green.

_ T!t_" low gross score of 74 was made by Ernie Pieper, McElroy-Cheim Lumber Co., San Jose.

In the Calcutta pool based on the tournament the winners were Al Nolan, The Pacific Lumber Co., San Francisco; Francis Boyd, Boyd Lumber & Mill Co., Santa Barbara;

J. A. Harris, Jr., Monteiey Bay Redwood Co., Santa Cruz, and George W. LaPointe, Jr., Menomonie, Wis.

_ "Chuck" Griffen, Monterey Bay Redwood Co., Santa Cruz, chairman of the golf committee was in charge of the tournament.

_ There was a big attendance at the stag dinner for members and registered guests. The entertainment in charge of Steve Sheppard, magicibn, and master of ceremonies,-was first class.

Friday Morning

-President Harry Lake presided at the breakfast meeting of the directors. The board unanimously approved the new constitution and by-laws of the Association.

The secretaries of the various local retail lumber organizations also held a breakfast meeting.

The convention was called to order by President Harrv A. Lake, with Paul Hallingby, Hammond Lumber Co., Los Angeles, presiding.

Kenneth Smith, Lumber & Allied Products Institute, Los Angeles, led the discussion on "Grade Marking," with a most interesting talk on the success of the Institute's grademarking program. This talk will be printed in full in the next issue. Joining in the discussion were Frank N. Gibbs, Gibbs Lumber Co., Anaheim; B. J. Boorman, Boorman Lumber Co., Oakland; Paul Hallingby, Los Angeles; Earl Johnson, Pasadena, E. C. Parker, Patten-Blinn Lumber Co., Los Angeles; T. C. Combs, West Coast Lumbermen's Association, Los Angeles; A. E. Fickling, Fickling Lumber Co., Long Beach, and F. Dean Prescott, Valley Lumber Co., Fresno.

Robert Stanton, architect, of Monterey, spoke on "Building Help Through Architectural Service," concluding his talk with the remark that "the service of the architect should include drawing a floor plan that will enable the housewife to keep house witha minimum of work.l' He also strongly recommended the use of grade-marked lumber.

"Economy in Building Small Homes," .\Mas the subject assigned to-T. C. Combs, field engineer, 'West Coast Lumbermen's Association, Los Angeles. The speaker said that it is definitely predictable that lumber will continue to be the chief material used for the small home, but pointed out that much effort must be made to keep it so. He gave in detail the items pertaining to lumber which can result in lower cost of individually built dwellings, and enhance the enviable position now held by lumber in this huge market.

In the discussion on this subject, W. K. Kendrick said that lumbermen should encourage research into the question of lowering the cost of small homes. B. J. Boorman and A. E. Fickling also joined in the discussion

Mr. Combs recommended that formation by the Association of a committee to investigate this matter, and suggested that a small home be built for study from the plans of the Forest Products Laboratory.

Warren Tillson, Modesto Lumber Co., Modesto, chairman of the reorganization committee of the State Association on new constitution and by-laws, presented the committee's report. Copies of the new constitution and bylaws were distributed, and after considerable discussion and the addition of some amendments, these were adopted unanimously by the convention. Those who contributed to the discussion included Ira E. Brink, The Diamond Match Co., Chico; F. Dean Prescott, Fresno; Geo. L. Meissner, Valley Lumber Co. of Lodi; John Hauge, Redwood Empire Lumbermen's Club, Santa Rosa; Fritz Dettmann, Allen & Dettmann Lumber Co., San Francisco; G. E. Cavin, N. San Diego Lumbermen's Club, Oceanside, and Earl Johnson, Johnson Lumber Co., Pasadena.

Copies of the new constitution and byJaws were ordered to be printed for distribution.

The new constitution provides that the present board of directors will function for the next four months. after which the new board will be elected.

Luncheon

All registered members and guests attended a luncheon at which the entertainment was in charge of J. O. Handley, general chairman of convention committees.

Friday Afternoon

Chas. G. Bird, Stockton Lumber Co., Stockton, presided at the afternoon session.

D. C. McGuiness, San Francisco, discussed the "Federal Housing Program," reviewing the history of the FHA from its inception up to the present date, and urging the members to work for its continuance.

George W. LaPointe, Jr., of Menomonie, Wis., president of the National Lumber Dealers' Association, who came to the convention as the guest of the organized groups of California retailers, was introduced by F. Dean Prescott, Fresno, member of the executive committee of the National Association, and took as his subject, "Trade Associations."

Mr. LaPointe said he brought greetings from the National Association, and wishtd to thank the California Retail Lumbermen's Association for their cooperation.

The National Association's job, he said, is to coordinate the activities of the regional associations.

In speaking of the NRA he said the good points of this were that it stopped cut-throat competition for awhile and got the dealers better acquainted. The bad features of the NRA were that it broke down distribution practices that had been built up over a long period of years, and disrupted many other things that now have to be rebuilt.

Distribution is one of the main problems of the lumber business and always will be. It is primarily the problem of the manufacturers. he said. and the National executive committee has given a lot of time and effort to the solution of this problem. The only way to put building material into the hands of consumers at lowest possible prices is for retailers to get all legitimate retail business.

Mr. LaPointe praised the Red Cedar Shingle Bureau for its policy of marketing shingles through retail lumber dealers exclusively. Hetold of the progress that had been made in working out problems in the distribution of various

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