Season's Gteetings

Plywood promotion, Schrader explained, includes laboratory testing of production samples and field exposure tests to assure uniform high service performance of plywood. The program also provides grademarking to provide positive customer identification of panels meeting high U. S. Department of C-ommerce standards.

The Commission did not commence its proceeding against the plywood firms until 1948 although charges related entirely to pre-war practices. It was a civil proceeding only to determine whether years ago there had been any technical violation of the Federal Trade Commission act, the spokesman emphasized.

"The industry which was recognized for outstanding performance during the war, though believing that the charges are ancient and obsolete, agreed to entry of the order solely to dispose of the case and avoid long drawn-out hearings," Schrader explained.

After the case !\'as started in 19,{8, many companies originally named were eliminated by the Commission. Thus, those still included for the alleged violations of l0 or more years ago number onll' l5 firms of the present 5l companies manufacturing fir plywood in 58 factories.

Limited admission b.r' these manufacturers constitutes a rnodification of the flat denial of the complaint when it was first issued. On this point, Schrader quoted from the written answer which provides, "All admissions are made solely for the purpose of this proceeding, and for no other purpose, and in order to expedite its disposition." The FTC issued its cease and desist order after receiving the amended answers from respondent firms.