NRLDA Has Successful Annual Meeting

high points emphasized by the Board for the National to carry out during the coming year.

While advocating cooperation and coordination with Government activities related to construction and building material distribution, the NRLDA board took a firm position also in (1) opposing any attempt to impose Government controls on industry ; and (2) the board urged the retention of those principles which equalize the rights of manag'ement and labor in the conduct o{ their relationships.

The 370 lumber dealers from all parts of the Nation attending the NRLDA board of directors meeting at Miami Beach, Florida, November 8-11, took home with them the determination to meet the challenge pointed out by retiring president Norman P. Mason, North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, to find newer ways and means to build and finance homes.

The challenge to this industry, Norman Mason averred. lay in the fact that the building material distributors had the materials and the understanding of construction that should enable them to find better ways to combat high building costs and to produce adequate homes for our people; but the question was, would this industry see its opportunity and take the lead in finding the way and advising officials and congressional committees interested in this problem-or r,vould the industry wait for government to take over the problem before doing anything about it.

Under the leadership of their newly-elected President, C. B. (Cy) Sweet, of Longview, Washington, dealers left this Miami meeting with a renewed resolve to meet tl.rc challenge in party by building more Industry Engineerecl Homes in more parts of the country to demonstrate what could be done. Stimulated by the Illinois University firrdings as a result of time studies on the IE Home, and impressed by the nationu'ide interest indicated by the Photoplay Magazine-IE, Home Contest, dealers and dealer organization leadeis alike expressed renewed interest in constructing IE Homes locally, wherever possible, to tie in with this nationrvide,Contest.

A continuing educational program in the major universities of the U. S. for lumber dealer personnel; a program calling for more research ; an enlarged public relations program; and better coordinated industry relations; were

One of the results of this most successful meeting was the fact that the industry as a whole found itself even more united than at any time in the past. The success of.the meeting'ivas certainly enhanced by the beautiful surroundings of the Roney-Plaza Hotel gardens, swimming pool, beach, palm trees, sun-porch dining room, and other appurtenances which made life enjoyable. On the other hand, the nearness of these beautiful play ground facilities made it difificult to remain indoors in meetings. About the only criticism heard was the complaint that the meetings ought to be a great deal shorter and the play time a great deal longer. N[ost of the members, however, had the afternoon off each day and took complete advantage of it at the beach and in the golf tournament and in the deep-sea fishing parties that had been arranged for by members of the Florida Lumber and Millwork Association.

One of the great highlights in practically everybody's day 'i'r'as National staff officer Ed Libbey's catch of a Gulf Stream sailfish rvhich rvas variously reported as being 581 feet long or rveighing 7l tons-but r,vhich proved to be 7l feet long and u'eighing 581 Lbs.

The au'arding of the seven public relations plaques was rnade an occasion of enthusiasm and enjoyment by the humor and witticism of Stanley Horn, editor of the Southern Lumberman, who presided. The wir-rners of the annual public relations awards were : Class I (for lumber and building material yards operating in towns of under 1,000) -F. S. Pendleton Lumber Co., McComb, Ohio; Class II (for lumber and building material yards operating in towns of 1,000-5,000)-Sterner Coal and Lumber Company, Belmar, New Jersey; Class III (for lumber and building rnaterial yards operating in towns of 5,000-50,000)-Richards and Krueger Co., Nerv Braunfels, Texas; Class IV (for yards in towns with populations of 50,000-100,000)-L. Grossman Sons, fnc., Quincy, Mass.; Class V (for yards in torvns rvith populations of over 100,000)-The A. W. Burritt Company, Bridgeport, Corrnecticut; Class VI (dealer group public relations p:ograms)-Tulsa Lurnbermens Association, Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Special Industrv Engineered llomes Arvard-Edward Hines Lumber Company, Chicago, Illinois.

This meeting saw the largest turnout of .ivomen, proportionatelv, as over 300 wives were present. This brought the total attendance at the meeting to almost 700. The women's activities included a boat trip through the canals and waterways of Miami Beach and Miami, preceded by a colorful and beautiful luncheon served outdoors Roney-Plaza Gardens.

Oflrcers elected at the Miami Beach 1948 board of directors meeting of the NRLDA were: C. B. (Cy) Sweet, Longvier,v, Washington, president; Clyde Fulton,'Charlotte, Michigan, vice president; W. Albie Barksdale, Charlottesville, Virginia, treasurer, reappointed; and H. R. (Cotton) Northup, Washington, D. C., executive vice president, reappointed.

F. P. R. S. Northern California Section Holds First Regular Meeting

The first regular meeting of the Northern California Section of the Forest Products Research Society was held at tl-re University Club, San Francisco, November 15. A large proportion of the members attended, the total attendance being 50.

T. C. Combs, Timber Structures ,Inc., Oakland, presided.

T. K. Nfay, Director of Technical Service, West Coast Lumbermen's Association, presented a paper on "The New Working Stresses For Structural Lumber."

"Developments In the Utilization of Wood in the Chemical and Fiber Fields," was the subject chosen by Edward G. Lccke, chemical engineer in charge of Forest Utilization Service of the Pacific Northrvest Forest Experiment Station.

Robert A. Cockrell, associate professor of Forestry, University of California, Berkeley, spoke on "F-orest Products in the Program of the University of California Forestry School."

George A. Garratt, president of the Forest Products Research Society, Nerv Haven, Connecticut. and Dean of the School of Forestry of Yale University, talked on "The Aims and Progress of the Society."

Ample time was given for the discussion of each paper.

A dinner u'as held in the evening, at which the speaker was Dr. Weldon B. Gibson, chairman of the Department of Business and Industrial Economics, Stanford Research Institute. Ben F. Wade introduced the speaker.

The consensus was that the Northern California Section of the F. P. R. S. is off to a good start.

The program and arrangements committee consisted ol