National Retail Directors Meet

Henry J. Munnerlyn Elected President

The nation's retail lumber and building feel confident that they are making steady ultimate solution of their "marketing problems," judging bv opinions expressed meeting of the board of directors of the Luml;er Dealers Association.

materials dealers condition and the organization is operating rvithin its progress tor,r'ard budget according to Treasurer Stair. and distribution The current status of emergency controls and regulaat the November tions u'as summarized by Secretary Libbey u'ho expressed National Retail the feeling that all or most controls would be removed by the middle of 1953.

Other in.rportant developments at the meeting were the election of nelr' officers, the decision to expand the industry's educational activities, and approval in principle of the grade marking of lumber and descriptive grade names for lumber.

Henry J. Nfunnerlvn, Bennettsville, S. C., 'rvas elected president of NRI-D-\, succeeding Clyde A. Fulton, of Charlotte, l\{ich., and \\ratson Malone III of Philadelphia, u'as named vice president. Fred R. Stair, Knoxville, Tenn., treasurer; H. R. Nortl.rup, executive vice president, and Edn'ard H. Libbey, secretary, n'ere reelected by the board.

Retiring President Fulton told the directors that NRLDA l.rad been serving its members in splendid fashion ar-rd expressed the opinion that the retail lumber industry as a rr hole is in healthl- condition and performing ntore valuable services to its customers than ever before. At this point the board unanimously approved a resolution deploring the untimely death of Vice President Clement W. Gamble and pledging adherence to the liigh principles for u,hi.ch he had stood.

Executive Vice President Northup stated that the activities to be conclucted by NRLDA during the coming year were designed to meet the needs of the day and predicted that the neu' Aclministration in Washington will give full consideration to industry's viewpoints and endeavor to encourage and aid private enterprise instead of harrassing and condemning it.

The Association's finances are in thorougl-rly sound

John H. Else, NRLDA's Legislative Counsel, reported that it l'as too early to predict what the nerv Adrninistratior-r will clo in the r'vay of housing legislation and deplored the premature attempts of some industry groups to dictate policr- to the imposing Administration. He said there was good reason to hope ior gradual elimination of extravagance in government and reduction of taxes, and a better climate for business generally.

Dealers \\'ere rvarned by Harold P. Braman, assistant manager of the National Savings and Loan l-eague, that attempts rvere being made to sponsor discriminatory tax legislation u'hich might attract funds away from institutions sucl.r as savings and loan associations t hich provide funds for mortgage financing and said it was to the interest of dealers as n'ell as lenders to make sure that suflicient funds are available to finance their customers.

\\'. C. 8e11, chairman of the Educational Committee. reported that dealers everyu'here are shorving great interest in management conferences and said that valuabie experience has been gained in conferences and 'lvorkshops held by the Nortireastern, N{iddle Atlantic, Tennessee, Indiana, and other associations.

He said that, rvhile the committee u'as not ready to recommend any one pattern as being the most desirable, the rvorkshop idea, based largely on dealer discussion, appears to hold special appeal and that materials developed in the N'Iiddle Atlantic and Northeastern workshops would be made available to other Federated Associations.

Bob Bliss