NRLDA Directors Meet at Las Vegas, Nevada

The accent fell on progressive merchandising and sensible housing legislation at the well-attended annual meeting of the Board of Directors of the National Retail Lumber Dealers Ass6ciation, held September 27 to October 1 at Las Vegas, Nevada.

Encouraged by the enthusiastic reception given the ne.,v NRLDA Merchandising Calendar which was unveiled for the first time at the meeting, the Merchandising Committee decided to develop'the Calendar further in the imrnediate future and recommended staff studies of sales incentives, the how-to-do-it movement, and practical methods of cashing in on the home improvement market.

President Henry J. Munnerlyn and Vice-President Watson Malone III were re-elected, and H. W. Blackstock, Seattle, Washington, was elected Treasurer. The Board also re-elected H. R. Northup, Executive Vice President, and Edward H. Libbey, Secretary.

President Munnerlyn, after praising the officers and directors, committee members, and staff for their excellent support in the past year, stated t_hat NRLDA was dedicated to helping its members and their industry wherever help rvas needed, and said that merchandising and education rvould receive special emphasis during the coming year, but that the association also would continue vigorous- ly its successful work in the fields of federal legislation, g'overnmental and industry relations, and public relations.

Mr. Munnerlyn also reported that building products nranufacturers are showing gratifying interest in NRLDA's merchandising programs and in the plan for coordinating the advertising and promotional efforts of dealers and producers. He expressed the belief that both groups will pro- fit from continued collaboration.

Executive Vice President Northup predicted another good year for the retail lumber industry in 1954, citing continued high employment, heavy consumer savings, and the survey of business conditions conducted by members of the Executive Committee in which 54 per cent of the reporting dealers said their volume for the year to date rvas as high or higher than a year ago and 47 per cent reported that their profits were the same or higher than in 1952.

In summarizing NRLDA's policies toward federal housing legislation, Mr. Northup complimented HHFA Administrator Cole for taking a close and careful look at the rvhole housing picture and expressed the hope that the federal government lvould plan for normal conditions, not for emergen,cies or special welfare objectives, in shaping its future policies.

He said NRLDA would urge the government (1) to strengthen ancl encourage private enterprise in its efforts to provide new and improved housing for everyone able to afford it and to guide local communities in assuming responsibility for housing welfare cases and for coping with overcrowding, neglect of properties, and urban redevelopment, (2) to recognize the fundamental principle that the government's credit function should be separated from the social and welfare functions, and (3) to maintain a credit policy which will stabilize the flow of private funds, while refraining from attempt to regulate the mortgage market arbitrarily.

Reporting for the outgoing Treasurer, Fred R. Stair, W. A. Barksdale, member of the Budget Committee, stated that the association's finances were in excellent condition and that it has been operating within its budget. ,

Charles Price, Chicago attorney, speaking on "'Ihe Robinson-Patman Act and the Lumber Dealer," told the members of their individual rights under that Act with regard to the increasingly difficult problems of distributio.rr.

J. H. Else, NRLDA's Legislative, Counsel poninted out that legislative developments in Washington have been slowed down by the fact that many agencies have not yet been reorganized to the point where definite determinations of policy .can be made, adding that lumber dealers and others in the light construction industry have a real responsibility of making their legislative and policy viervpoints known to the ner,v administration.

NRLDA .ivill give top priority in the year ahead, he said, to problems of mortgage financing and consumer credit, the definition of retail trade by the Bureau of the Budget, solution of wage-hour problems, recognition of distribution problems by the Department of Commerce, and relations

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IONG-BELL KlIN-DRIED TUMBER saves money in the long run. The cost of kiln-dried is offset by the time and labor saved in putting kiln-dried lumber into construction. Takes less handling time on the job.

IONG-BELI KIIN-DRIED TUMBER helps build a better house, makes a happier home-owner, and safeguards home investment. While your profit is greater, your builder-customer and the home-buyer save money. And, there's less competition in selling quality kiln-dried lumber.

WHEN YOU BUY IONG-BELL Kiln - Dried Lumber, manufactured by the most advanced methods in the industry, you get a product backed by the know-how and quality reputation that have made Long-Bell the preferred name in lumber for 78 years. Contact your Long-Bell sales representative now.

Look

Dded Rishr in TAII0R-IIADE TYEATHER

THE OPERAIORS of Long-Bell dry kilns have complete control over the three elements of kiln-drying: humidity, circulation and heat. This assures lumber properly seasoned and dried to the right degree for its intended purpose. Above pictures show lumber ready to enter the battery of kilns in a Long-Bell plant.

FROfiI 20 MODMN PIANTS

IONG.BEII. DEPENDABTY SUPPTIES THESE QUAIITY WOOD PRODUCTS:- o Wesl Coost Fir r West Coost Hemlock ond Cedor r Ponderoso Pine o Douglos ond White Fir o Timber Fobricotors o Long-8ell Foctory Products o Ook Flooring r Soufhern Pine qnd Hordwoods o Treoted Producls o Plywood

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SOME MENTAL FODDER, YOU MIGHT RUN THESE THOUGHTS THROUGH YOUR THINK-TANK:

Said Henry Cabot "oJr.* "Jt".rrrirg the United Nations: "ft seems strange that we could not have gotten loyal Americans for all posts.,'

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There are about 16O million people in this country, Henry, who wonder why we can't find loyal Americans to fill ALL of our governmental posts, with pretty near 160 million loyal Americans to choose from.

"We have two aristoc.*r." irJan" hnd: the aristocracy of intellect, founded by Almighty God, and the aristocracy of wealth, founded by fooJs.,'-Ingersoll.

"Strong men demand freedom, while weaklings whimper for security."-Atqr(xnder *If amilton.

"We can't help but wonder where the men will come from who will direct our free enterprise after a generation of "guarantees against the hazards of life."-California Milk News.

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"No solace can be found for our 25,000 dead in Korea rn world-wide recognition of the fact that the United States, alone of all nations in history, voluntarily withhetd its decisive weapon and endured humiliation at the hands of a second-rate enemy in order to spare human lives and avert a wider war feared by its allies. Instead, our motives are questioned and our maturity is derided by those who have gained the most from us. To top it all, we are told that if we stop giving away our substance we risk making inveterate enemies of ingrate friends."Los Angeles Times.

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A new tax study made by the National Association of Manufacturers shows that the average family with $4,000 a year income pays $1,249 for food, $596 for housing, fuel, light, and refrigeration, 9445 for clothing, and g1,093 for Federal, State, and local taxes. The Federal taxes paid by a $4,000 family are about 9795, of which g2Z1 is income tax, the rest hidden taxes. For a family with a $5,000 income the tax bill exceeds that for food. The figures are only approximate but they include an attempt to allocate corporation taxes; which, of course, are paid by individuals, either in the form of higher prices or reduced dividends.Clipt.

"The extent to which the 'little fellow' is being burdened by Federal income tax is emphasized in figures just released by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. The figures show that the people of modest incomes provide a large share of the income tax revenues and that the total revenues have nearly doubled since 1950," says the Houston (Texas) Chronicle, date of October 12. And it continues: ,,The Bureau report showed that in 1950, last year for which an analysis of income tax returns is available, the biggest paying group was comprised of persons making between $5,000 and $6,000 a year. There were 3,025,105 returns in this category, accounting for $1,502,335,000 in tax revenue. Many, if not a majority, of these groups are heads of families trying to support their families on a relatively small income in these days of inflated prices Taxes have got beyond the point of hurting. THEY ARE BECOMING CRIPPLING. Americans would suffer without protest if the taxes were necessary. But Americans are convinced that we are spending money foolishly and that it is the waste that is keeping taxes unreasonably high." ***

Sokolsky probably voices the opinion of a majority of newspaper readers, when he wrote recently: ,,Who really cares, I ask you, if these two celebrated morons are married or divorced or whether having publicly quarreled they have as publicly become reconciled?',

Will Durant, greatest ;; ^i,*.ri""n philosopher, and a thinker and author of the highest repute (Story of philosophy, etc.), expressed the opinion recently in a newspaper interview that "the United States has cracked up morally.,' Doubtless he was thinking of the sloughs of sickening publicity given to the whol'esale doings of those smallsouled Hollywood folks, the Kinsey report, the literary decadence of the period, and possibly our murder record. Whether it is true that this nation has cracked up morallv is, of course, a matter of opinion,

The present A-.rical J"J.r record might well deserve national consideration. In Houston, Texas, as an exampl'e, recently referred to in print many times as the "murder capital of America," more homicides were committed last year than in all of England; and far fewer of the killers were condemned to death. During the last 4l years 65 convicted murderers have been hanged in England. in 1951 there were 6,820 killings in the United States, and only L23 in all of England. Of the 6,820 U.S. homicides only 105 cases got the death penalty, while England hanged 19 of her 123. One out of every six English killers died for his crime, whilb in this country it was one out of 65. There can be little doubt but that the certainty of punishment in England for the crime of murder prevents hornicide in a big way. When they say "Thou Shalt Not Kill" in England, that's what they mean.

Concerning the Social ,l""lnrirr,uation that this column has been discussing recently, Raymond Moley writes: "The dollar you paid for Social Security last year is not in Uncle Sam's till in safekeeping for you. It has been spent for guns, or to feed a family in Pakistan, or to keep a military attache in the Paris embassy well clad for tomorrow's cocktail party. When you call for it at the age of 65 the government will have to get it from a lot of somebodies through taxes, and YOU will be one of the somebodies."

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The story is printed that recently Winston Churchill was sitting in his customary seat in Parliament and taking a bit of a nap to kill time, when one of his adversaries rose to speak. He began "I am a very modest 6311-." At this point Churchill woke, and asked a friend sitting next to him what the speaker had just said. He was told, "he says he is a very modest man." Said Churchill, dropping'back into shrmber: "He has a great deal to be modest about."

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Churchill was critical, but not quite as sharp-tongued as the French philosopher, Montaigne, when he uttered the most famous criticism of the rich since the Bible declared that it is as easy for a rich man to get into heaven as for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. Montaigne

New Distributors of Olympic Products

Five new distributors of Olympic Products have been established recently in the West, according to an announcement made by Burr Odell, sales manager of Olympic Stained Products Company of Seattle, Washington. The new distributors include: Lundgren Door and Plywood Company, Fresno, California; Sierra Mill and Building I{aterials Company, Sacramento; Diamond Match Company, Chico; Northern Wholesale Hardware, Portland and Seattle; ernd Sheldon Dunning, fnc., Seattle.

said it short: "ff you want to know what God thinks about wealth, take a look at the people He gives it to."

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And rough was the great Dutch scholar of the fifteenth centurt Erasmus, in his opinion of preaching. He said: "We see not a few mortals, trying to emulate this divine virtue with more zeal than success, fall into a feeble and disjointed loquacity, obscuring the subject and burdening the wretched ears of their hearers with a vacant mass of words and sentences crowded together beyond alt possibility of enjoyment. And writers who have tried to lay down the principles of this art have gained no other result than to display their own poverty while expounding abundance." *** rf{<*

'Henry Ford said that it was fine to sit by a warm fire in winter, but that if you cut the wood for the fire it warms you twice.

Many men have tried to explain the difference between nran and the other animals of the earth, but the immortal Homer hit the bull's-eye when he said: "Man is the only animal that writes."

Plato said that a -"rr, io :";.r how rich, should work like a poor man because "nature knows nothing of bank balances, and a man who works for his dinner has a good appetite, and sleeps better."

And this column *il Jo"l .,i,n . much more modern quote. Jackie Gleason is alleged to have said that "what this country needs is straight men, and curved gals."

Devlin Nomed Director For Plywood Jobbers

Charles E. Devlin has been named managing director oi the National Plywood Distributors Association with headquarters in Chicago. The announcement was made by R. C. Whitmeyer, president of the jobber group.

Mr. Devlin was director of publicity and later managing director of the Douglas Fir Plyr,r'ood Association from 1938 to 1949. Later he was with the Simpson Logging Co., Seattle, and Northu'est Door and Plywood Sales, Inc., Tacoma, as a sales executive.

Wc l-ravc lcarned in 50 years of scrvice ttl the lumbcr trade, that our job of producing extra g<locl Redu,oocl, islr't hnishcd until the lumber has becn propcrll delir e rccl to \'our vard. Large scalc, ttroderlr c<luiprncrrt plar.s:rn important role all ihe uav frorn loggirrg, to final shipmerrr <lf frnislicd lunrber. Throughout the process-log hauling, sas ing, trimming, cdging, grading. stacking, drf ing, shipping, (to namc a feu stelrs) handling eclr.tiprnctrt corrtributes to thc final procluct -thar is, extra goocl Rcdn'<lod Iurnber. For the ver1. best. especialll' irr the clear grades of clrr Rccluood, spccift H-E Ccrtiliecl l)rr.