DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

WASHINGTON

MONTHLY NEWS BULLETIN

of

DIVISION OF SIMPLIFIED PRACTICE

NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON METALS UTILIZATION

NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON WOOD UTILIZATION

AMERICAN MARINE STANDARDS COMMITTEE

August 15, 1927. No. 29

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Paragraphs

Competition That Raises Prices IS

Conducts Elimination of Waste Campaign 13

Delaware to Use Simplification in Purchases 3

Elimination of Waste by Research 24

Elimination of Waste in Transportation 21

Greater Purchasing Power 1 Handbook of Labor Statistics 17

How To Keep the Appliance Inventory Down 6

Management Week 22

More Profits from Merchandising 23

Marine Standardization 27

Paragraphs

New Booklet on Budgeting 12

Packing for Domestic Shipment 10

Penn Boy Wins $50 Award For -ssay 5 Simplified Practice. 2,8,14.15,18.19,20,25

Standards List for Farm Products 9

The Rising Tide of Simplification . . 4

The Industrial Reconstruction of France 11

World Economic Conference Discusses

Lower Production Costs 7

Wood Utilization 26

1 .

GREATER PURCHASING POWER

R. M. Hudson, Chief,

Division of Simplified Practice

Business men are devoting much energy these days to making the public want to buy their goods, —to creating among consumers the "desire to buy". For the consumer who translates this desire into

action through purchasing the goods, the path to possession is made smoother by the deferred payment

plan. Some sellers may feel this is about as far as they can go toward making it easier for the

public to buy their wares.

On the other hand, as more of our business men study the primary forces producing continuous purchasing power, we may expect to see more attention given to making the public better able to buy. In other words, in this constant struggle for a larger portion of the consumer's dollar, consideration must be given not only to the dollar he now has in hand, but also to those likely to come

into his hands after this one is gone. Where are the future "consumer dollars" coming from? How

many of them will there be per consumer?

Certainly not all of the effort should center on getting more of the consumer's present income away

from him. Some of the effort might well be directed toward strengthening, or even increasing, the

consumer's income as a guarantee of the constancy of his purchasing power . Continuous buying is the

result of continuous power to buy and that power has to be regenerated or replenished as it is used.

Firms making consistent effort to eliminate waste through simplification and standardization, to improve both products and processes, —thus to give better value for the same or for less money, —are
Monthly News Bulletin No. 29—2.

strengthening the consumer's power to buy Likewise companies endeavoring to stabilize employment

in their plants, to provide steady jobs at good wages for their workers, are reinforcing the buying

power of their own employees as part of the great consuming public

It is not difficult to imagine the relative increase in consumption in many classes of goods if the

present purchasing power of the average consumer ware increased 10 per cent, nor is it hard to visualize the new wants and therefore the new opportunities for production that would spring up under

such conditions. Increasing the power to buy means larger sales of goods to satisfy present wants,

also a larger variety of wants than now prevails. Elimination of waste in industry creates greater

purchasing power.

4. , SIMPLIFIED FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: The National Civil Service Reform League has determined to extend. its activities by promoting simplification of the administrative branch of the Federal Government, according to a recent interview in the Washington, D. C. Post, and will

be assisted in this work by a special committee in a study of the subject.

The League was quoted as saying that no matter how able an administration is in office,

there is unavoidable waste, duplication of effort and lost motion. The League claims that

there is an overlapping duplication and lack of coordination in the various governmental

agencies. The League does not advocate any particular plan of reorganization, because of

their conviction that the primary object to be attained is simplification of the machinery

of Government and this can be obtained, in many different ways.

3. DELAWARE TO USE SIMPLIFICATION IN PURCHASES: An annual savings of from $50,000 to $100,000 in

the purchase of supplies for the state departments and Institutions of the State of Delaware is the goal of a plan submitted to the budget committee of the General Assembly, by

the Taxpayers' Research League of that state

The proposed, plan would give the purchasing agent ample authority to determine what purchases should be centralized in his office, and to insure compliance with the policy he

formulates. The plan also gives the purchasing agent authority to standardize specifications for various supplies, so that unnecessary grades or styles can be eliminated and

the purchasing power of the state concentrated in a manner that will secure the greatest

economy to the state consistent with the services required

4. THE RISING TIDE OF SIMPLIFICATION: "Bakelite," has issued a most complete pamphlet on this

subject and how it helps solve the sales problem. This pamphlet states that not so many

years ago the problem of industry was production and it seemed difficult to make all that

could be sold. The world war still further increased productive capacity and in practically every basic industry additional plants went up overnight.

Today the problem of securing adequate money to cover increased sales expense exists in

practically every business, large or small. Overhead must be reduced. Waste must be eliminated and quality must be standardized . To this as much as anything else , is due the

"rising tide of simplification" that is the outstanding characteristic of current industry,

5. PENNSYLVANIA BOY WINS $50 AWARD FOR ESSAY: Henry C. Buckwalter. 40 1/2 South Queen Street,

Lancaster, Pa., has been awarded the Wood prize of $50, endowed by Theodore M. Wood,

Cbambersburg . Pa. for the best essay submitted upon a selected subject in economics.

Mr. Buckwalter wrote on the subject of "Elimination of Waste in Industry" and received

most of his data from the Division of Simplified Practice

6. HOW TO KEEP THE APPLIANCE INVENTORY DOWN: In his article in the July number of the Gas AgeRecord, under this head. F. S Clifford, new business manager for the Fitchburg Gas and
Monthly News Bulletin No. 29—3.

Electric Light Company, Fitchburg, Mass., said: "Standardize on as few makes of appliances to be carried as experience proves is wise. Times were when most of us felt that

we must carry every appliance which was advertised broadly, in consequence of which we had inventories which were entirely too large for volume of sales made. Standardization

of appliances has done much in keeping our inventories down."

7.

WORLD ECONOMIC CONFERENCE DISCUSSES LOWER-PRODUCTION COSTS: In its discussion of Industry, the

World Economic Conference at Geneva, stated that the present industrial difficulties of

Europe are not due to an inadequacy either of scientific invention or of raw material,

but to a lack of sufficient capital and to an inadequate market for the productive capacity of many industries. The Conference considered its central problem to be the lowering

of production costs and therefore prices, with the object of securing a better equilibrium

between plant capacity and demand, without injuring either the consumer or the worker.

The conference, to this end, discussed the progress of "rationalization" by which is meant

the technique and organization designed to secure the minimum waste of effort and material.

It recommended that industry throughout the world should encourage and promote in every

way the processes of scientific mnagement; the standardization of materials and products;

and the improvement of transport and marketing.

8.

STANDARDIZATION -DEPENDS UPON COOPERATION; Recently the Wire and Wire Products Magazine said:

"Into standardization the best forces of an industry must enter; cooperation, simplified

practice and uniformity in cost accounting. In discussing the best needs of the industry

the representatives of the trade will unavoidably fuse the best in their experience, with

the result that the final standards of manufacture will not only represent the coordinated result of the past practice but a genuine advance beyond that practice. Cooperation

in industry inevitably leads to the establishment of standards, just as any attempt at standardization involves cooperation."

9. STANDARDS LIST FOR FARM PRODUCTS: The Bureau of Agricultural Economics has just formulated a list of standards for farm products. There are three standards; A Mandatory Standard

is an official standard, the use of which is compulsory in the conditions specified by

the law under which that standard is promulgated; a Permissive Standard is a standard

recommended officially for optional use; and a Tentative Standard is a standard that is

still subject to investigation by the Department of Agriculture, and is offered for use under commercial conditions to test its practicability or as a basis for discussion.

10. PACKING FOR DOMESTIC SHIPMENT: The Transportation Division of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce has published a series of Bulletins (Domestic Commerce Series 10, 11, 12,

13, 14, 15, and 16) giving the results of a survey to determine the best methods of packing for domestic shipment to minimize losses and assure safe delivery. Domestic Commerce

Series #3 dealt with paper wrapped packages. The new booklets cover fiber containers,

cleated plywood boxes, wire-bound boxes, cooperage and steel barrels, wooden boxes, nailed

wooden crates, and baling. They can be bought separately or the entire series can be had

for fifty-five cents.

11.

THE INDUSTRIAL RECONSTRUCTION OF FRANCE SINCE THE WAR: In discussing France's process of re- construction since the world war, Germain Martin recently said in the Harvard Business

Review, that "the steps by which industrial reconstruction have been brought about include

'more scientific organization of plants and the introduction of standardization and specialization.' The effect of standardization in a rational organization is an increased

output and a reduction in the cost of manufacture. M. Carlioz, who is a most convincing

advocate of standardization, affirms that the reduction of the shapes of rails decreases the

amount of equipment for rolling stock to the great benefit of cost price, and selling prioe

.
Monthly News Bulletin No. 29—-4.

Likewise. M. Charpy, in studying the simplification and unification of purchase specifications for enterprises submitted to control on the part of the state, has pointed out

the waste both of energy and of merchandise, and also the increase in price which results

from diversity. Therefore they have sought to impose uniform purchase specifications upon

the larger Governmental departments, upon public services, upon all those industrial

affairs having a monopoly, particularly those with guaranteed interest or return."

12. NEW BOOKLET ON BUDGETING: A new booklet on budgeting. "Business Control Through Analysis," has

been published by Ernst and Ernst, which contains many valuable ideas for business men. . The booklet describes the effect of the budget as a means through which management achieves

coordinated effort, conservation of resources and more rapid turnover of merchandise inventories. It outlines the procedure necessary in advance of the preparation of the

budget and how sales , buying allowances, expenses, collections, profits and other factors j are estimated. There is proper emphasis on the fact that the budget is not a substitute

for able and skilled executives, but i3 an instrument stimulating resourcefulness. Business men who are planning to adopt a budget for the first time in 1928, are advised to begin preparing for it at least six months in advance and to adopt a tentative and experimental budget at once so that they may have a number of months experience upon which to base their formal budget for the coming year,

13. CONDUCTS ELIMINATION OF WASTE CAMPAIGN: During the month of July the Toledo Scale Company,

Toledo . Ohio conducted a campaign on "Elimination of Waste" . which included waste in

every sense, according to information received by this Division. This campaign to eliminate waste included savings to be made on heat, light, power, water, shop methods, trucking, standardization of the products of the company, etc Material on Elimination of

Waste in Industry and the work of the Division of Simplified Practice was supplied the

company on request, for use in connection with the campaign,

14. SIMPLIFIED PRACTICE CHAIRMAN APPOINTED: Mr. C. L. Williamson, secretary. The Atlanta Association of Credit Men, has been designated as chairman of a simplified practice committee

to sponsor the simplified practice and elimination of waste movement among Georgia manu- facturers and industrial executives

It is expected that the work of this committee will be a valuable contribution to the

further progress of waste elimination and the maintenance of the prosperity which this

country now enjoys It is interesting to note that, several state manufacturers’ associations have appointed similar committees to cooperate with the Department of Commerce in

the promulgation' of simplified practice.

15. VETERANS' BUREAU ADOPTS SIMPLIFIED PRACTICE : The U S. Veterans' Bureau has issued instructions

to medical officers in charge of its hospitals to adhere to the simplified practice recom- mendations in making all future purchases of supplies and equipment for the various hospitals for the disabled veterans. In the instructions to the medical officers, the Director

of the Bureau. Brigadier General Frank T. Hines, reserve corps, stated that: "It is obvious that the benefit to be derived from any simplification is directly proportionate to the degree of adherence it receives and the Veterans' Bureau expects cooperation from the

medical officers in its effort to eliminate waste."

The simplified practice recommendations concerned are: Vitrified paving brick, metal

lath asphalt, files and rasps, smooth and rough face brick, common brick, range boilers, woven wire fencing, woven wire fence packages, milk bottles and caps, hollow building

tile, structural slates, roofing slates, lumber, forged tools, builders hardware, asbestos

paper and asbestos millboard, hot water storage tanks, steel reinforcing bars, sheet steel, eaves trough and conductor pipe, concrete building units, sand lime brick, tissue paper.
I Monthly News Bulletin No- 29—5-

cut tacks and small cut nails, and sidewalk, floor and roof lights.

•i

j 16. COMPETITION THAT RAISES PRICES: In his new book "Competition That Raises Prices" Fayette R. Plumb, says that "business is trying so hard t.o get business that it is saddling itself

with all sorts of expenses in trying to make people buy more goods, with the result that

gross business is increased but net profit decreased. There are several main reasons for

the increased cost of distribution. These are hand-to-mouth buying, excessive competition. extra service such as rush delivery, fancy packaging, etc. effort of merchant to compete with chain stores, the change in the worker himself in the direction of desire for

less work and more pay, rising local taxation, and business waste as exemplified by the

undiscriminating distribution of "dealer-helps." What the retailer, wholesaler and manufacturer should do is to serve the largest proportion of their customers best . and let the

rest slide. Too many merchants are trying to give their customers more than they can afford to give, either in low prices or in too costly services."

17. HANDBOOK OF LABOR STATISTICS: "The Handbook of Labor Statistics" just issued by the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, brings together in conventional form digests of all important

material regarding labor conditions in the United States published by that bureau during

recent years. The aim has been to include a maximum number of subjects and to give the

latest available information for each of them.

18. POLISH STANDARDS TO BE REVISED: The Polish Standards Committee consider necessary for several

reasons, to submit for revision the Polish standard 0-102, paper sizes. In drafting the

paper sizes standard, Poland, besides other countries, had worked from the German standards which provided four series of sizes, - A, B, C, and D. The actual practice had shown

that for commercial paper, books, and copy-books, classification A is quite sufficient

Classifications B and C are designated exclusively for envelopes, covers, folders, filing

cards, etc. Classification D did not find any application except in an insignificant case

in the German standards where it was used for narrow envelopes.

As long as standardization aims to fix absolutely necessary dimensions and eliminate all

unnecessary sizes, the Polish Standards Committee believes .it advisable to eliminate

classification D of the standard, leaving classification A for the paper and for finished

products, and classification B and also C for envelopes, covers, folders, etc.

19. SIMPLIFIED INVOICE OFFERS ELIMINATION OF WASTE: The simplified invoice offers a means of eliminating much waste providing every individual will extend his cooperation by adhering to the approved recommendations, believes The New England Purchaser, which goes on to state

that the important point is to secure the participation of all interested. Those who now

decline to adopt the new standard, not only fail to take advantage of the economies and

increased efficiency inherent in this simplification measure, but also deprive of these

benefits those with whom they do business. It is earnestly hoped that all users of invoices will change to the simplified invoice as soon as their present supply of forms is

exhausted. This invoice will save many dollars for business concerns, it will reduce

checking, paying, reporting, filing and finding expenses. Every bill clerk, every office

manager and every executive familiar with the evil of "customer invoices" knows how they

disrupt office routine and increase cost of billing.

It is interesting to note, apropos of this, that in the July number of the "Railway Purchases and Stores" magazine, E. R. Woodson, secretary. Railway Accounting Officers Association, said: "There seems to be no reason for apprehending any new form or any revision

of the invoice in the near future or at any other time . Every conceivable situation or need, has been taken care of adequately and comprehensively in the Simplified Invoice,

and it represents so much experience and such a long practical try-out that the simplified
Monthly Mews Bulletin No. 29—6.

invoice will undoubtedly stand, in its present form, for such an extensive period of time

as to relieve any apprehension on the matter of any further revision."

20. RAILROAD ADOPTS SIMPLIFICATION: The Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg Railway Company have

been standardizing their materials for the past six years or so, and have found that they

have brought about many economies as a result, according to a recent letter received by

the Division from 0. T. Burleigh, traveling storekeeper of the company. In his letter

Mr. Burleigh said:

"There is a lot of work connected with the subject of standardization but we feel that we are being more than repaid on account of the reduction of units to be carried in stock.

This railroad carries all its material under the material classification list recommended

by the American Railway Association, Division VI. and when we had the opportunity we picked out a classification and standardized all material under that particular classification. By doing this we feel that we are making a move in the right direction, and,

although it is going to be a comparatively long drawn out operation, when we have analyzed

and refined all the items we now carry in stock, we can maintain our stock books and rec- ords in such a manner that we can operate under almost perfect conditions."

21. ELIMINATION OF WASTE IN TRANSPORTATION: In the July issue of "Trade and Transportation Bulletin", published by the LaSalle Extension University. Carl B. Pirie, traffic manager of

Harper and Reynolds Corporation, Los Angeles, discusses the problems of transportation and sees the road cleared for simplification along these lines. He says "that the proper and

continuous exchange of waste provention knowledge between shippers and receivers is the

only method that will eventually eliminate or at least minimize to the greatest extent,

all waste in transportation. That during the past 5 years, the American Railway Association has succeeded in reducing the entire carriers' payments on damages from 120 millions

in 1920 to 38 millions last year." He states that in his personal experience along these

lines, by using simplified practice methods daily for 5 years, that he has succeeded in

reducing all claims in traffic from several thousands of dollars monthly to an average of

only $150 to 30 days.

In the opinion of Mr, Pirie, svsry hardware traffic manager, receiving clerk or shipping

clerk in the United States, can reduce transportation waste in his plant 80 per oent and

more. He says that prevention is education; that it begins with the manufacturer and ends

with the consumer. To function at highest efficiency it must be understood and carried

out by every employee of every agency handling merchandise until it is being used by the

final consumer after the final retail sale. It is the greatest satisfier in business

today, as it brings in gross profits, reduces overhead everywhere. Waste prevention

should be in the minds of all business men who use transportation.

22. MANAGEMENT WEEK: Each year since 1921 when Management Week was instituted by the American

Society of Mechanical Engineers, The Soci«ty of Industrial Engineers and the Taylor

Society, has seen a decided increase in interest and support, the 1926 program being the

most successful with its 252 meetings held in more than 100 cities. The combined attendance at these meetings of executives, business leaders, engineers and others interested

in management was more than 30,000.

The topic for the 1927 meetings is "Management’s Part in Maintaining Prosperity." The

National Committee on Management Week regards this topic as very timely because of the

high level of prosperity prevailing throughout the United States, and the necessity to consolidate the gains made in recent years as a safeguard against recession. Ever since

1921, when the Hoover Committee on Waste in Industry brought out its report placing the

responsibility for 50 per cent of that waste on management itself, and only 25 per cenl
Monthly News Bulletin No. 29—7.

on labor, there has been a growing recognition of sound management as the basis of business success. The Hoover Committee stated that management has the greatest opportunity

and therefore responsibility for eliminating waste. Management's answer to that challenge

is found in the marked increase in per capita productivity during the past 5 years and in

other evidences of greater national efficiency.

The National Committee believes that as long as waste exists to any measurable degree m

tha operation of American business enterprises, there is a definite need for educational

work of the kind undertaken in Management Week, and the experiences of the sponsor bodies

are that the results gained justify the effort. This year many business executives, managers and other officials who are responsibile for the efficient and profitable operation

of various industries will participate in the program and tell from their own experience

what policies and practices they have found most helpful in their operations.

That expertness in management is of the same importance to the successful farmer as to the industrial executive is reflected in the interest shown in the 1927 program by the

National Grange, and the American Farm Bureau Federation, the officials of these organizations having signified their willingness to cooperate in its presentation.

23. MORE PROFITS FROM MERCHANDISING: In his most interesting book, "More Profits From Merchandising", Edward A. Filene, President, William Filene's Sons Company, discusses the problem

of how to have the right goods or commodities, in quantities neither too great nor too

small, at the times when they will be desired most, and at the prices at which they will

sell best. To meet this problem, the model stock plan has been conceived, which, briefly,

is as follows:

To determine for any given class of merchandise, and for all classes carried, the

three prices, low, medium, and high, at which the largest quantities of that mer- chandise can be sold.

To concentrate probably 85% of the stocks, or perhaps more, at these prices in full

lines .

To provide, by means of a carefully selected article for each distinctive class of

merchandise, a scientific basis for building up a stock that will meet and beat

competition

.

To build up complete stocks in the full lines, consisting of all the kinds of merchandise likely to be called for, including staples, novelties, extra-large and extrasmall sizes, and all the wanted sizes, kinds, styles, colors, shapes and other

classifications

.

To regulate the sizes of stocks at any given time by means of a selling calendar

which shows in detail when consumers are in the habit of buying.

To regulate the time of buying from manufacturers and others by means of a buying

calendar which shows in detail when the resources are likely to be able to supply

goods to the best advantage

.

j In his introduction to this book, A. W. Shaw, the publisher said: "Simplification had its

beginnings in war-time necessities, but in peace time the movement has continued to demonstrate its importance as a basic development in better management."

:l

.
Monthly News Bulletin No. 29—8.

Simplification in variety affects distribution as well as production. There is a noteworthy gain to the wholesaler and retailer from the reduction of useless varieties alone. ; Simplification is being profitably applied in the small business as well as in the large

one; in the store and warehouse as well as in the factory. Simplification and the model

stock plan will bring a double source of profits, their use reduces expenses and also in- creases sales. The operating advantages all tend to augment and multiply one another.

24. ELIMINATING WASTE BY RESEARCH: In discussing the possibilities of research tending to eliminate waste in the small plant. Dale S. Cole, development engineer for the Leece Neville

Company, said in the "Industrial Management", that "the elimination or use of waste material is only one of the opportunities for applying scientific knowledge in the small

shop but it is an important one.

"A study of the mortality lists of small manufacturing plants in this country will emphasize the fact that fatalities are higher proportionately than among the larger establishments. The usual explanation of this condition is that good management has not been applied. Good management of today and tomorrow will be scientific management, however much

that term may be in the discard, or rather it will be management which utilizes scientific

knowledge to the utmost. The margins which might have saved many small shops from failure, according to many opinions, were tossed to the scrap heap. It is only by applying

the scientific method, persistently, and sincerely, that waste can be mastered.

"It is probably true that any organization threatened with ruin will work under stress at top speed and with some degree of efficiency. This may be one of the beneficial by-products of a threat against the existence of a business and a3 such is not without its advantages. It may teach those concerned that where there's a will there's a way and that

almost anything is possible if enough thought and energy be put into the effort. Generally speaking, manufacturing costs divide themselves into overhead expense, the cost of

materials and the cost of labor. Science may be applied to all of these in varying degree

as warranted by conditions."

25. DIVISION OF SIMPLIFIED PRACTICE

I Progress in Simplification

Preliminary conferences, general conferences, and revision conferences have recently been

held under the auspices of the Division of Simplified Practice, U. S. Department of Commerce, in cooperation with the following groups:

IVORY BUTTONS: The manufacturers of vegetable ivory buttons mat in New York on July 28th to discuss

' the advisability of applying the principles of Simplified Practice to their commodity. A representative of the Division of Simplified Practice attended the meeting and outlined

the benefits to be obtained through such a movement,

BEE-KEEPERS' SUPPLIES: A prominent manufacturer of beekeepers' supplies, also the editor of an important magazine representing the farm equipment industry, have brought to the attention

of the Division, the desirability of eliminating certain slow-selling non-profitable and

obsolete beekeeping equipment and supplies. The manufacturers are being circularized for

their views regarding the application of simplified practice.

HOSPITAL PLUMBING FIXTURES: In accordance with the action taken at the second preliminary confer-
Monthly News Bulletin No. 29—9.

ence of representatives of the vitreous china industry, the procelain plumbing fixtures

manufacturers, and the hospital groups, which was held on June 2, 1927, the Division is

circularizing the manufacturers for their assurance of cooperation in connection with a survey to determine the sales of basic fixtures for 1926.

'COMPOSITION BOOKS: Replies to questionnaires regarding sales and varieties have been received. A consolidated report of the replies will be issued as a basis for preparing a tentative

simplified practice recommendation for presentation at a general conference to be held

some time this fall.

i

SURGICAL GAUZE: Under date of May 28th a questionnaire was sent to all manufacturers of surgical

gauze for the purpose of obtaining data upon which to base a proposed simplified practice

recommendation for the consideration of, and adoption by, a subsequent general conference

of representatives of manufacturers, distributors and users of this commodity.

ASH HICKORY HANDLES: An agenda is being prepared for a general conference to establish recognized

grades for ash handles for farm hand tools, and hickory handles for shop and construction

tools, etc.

HIDES AND LEATHER: A preliminary conference of the calf leather groups of the Tanners Council was held in Buffalo, N. Y., on July 19th; this group favored simplified practice and standardization, and voted to appoint a simplified practice committee to investigate their problems with the view of arriving at a basis for the application of simplified practice.

]

'

ELECTRIC REFRIGERATORS: A general conference of manufacturers of electric refrigerators and refrigeration material was held in Cleveland, July 27th. The purpose of the meeting was to determine on a simplification program to be carried out during the coming year.

TURNBUCKLES: The simplified practice committee of the Turnbuckle Industry has completed its survey,

and has drawn up a tentative simplified practice recommendation covering sizes of turnbuckles, which recommendation will be submitted to a general conference of manufacturers,

distributers and users in the early fall.

POCKET KNIVES: A questionnaire has been drawn up by the simplified practice committee of the Pocket

Knife Industry, and will be circulated to all manufacturers in the near future, with the

request that the information required be returned to the Division where it will be tabulated and serve as the basis for a simplified practice recommendation.

BUILDING MATERIAL: The simplified practice recommendations covering New Billet Steel for concrete

reinforcement and solid section steel windows, which were recently adopted at general con- ferences of manufacturers, distributors and users, held under the auspices of the Division,

are receiving very favorable comment from the industry, and it is expected that these

redommendations will be published in booklet form in the near future.

BLACKBOARD: At a conference of manufacturers and wholesalers, held July 28th, in Chicago, a Simplified Practice Recommendation was adopted by which composition blackboards were reduced in

variety from 3 colors, 18 widths and 90 lengths, to 1 color, 8 widths and 13 lengths. This

program will become effective for a period of one year beginning April 1, 1928, on new production

.

26 . NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON WOOD UTULIZATION .

The bulletin on the outlets for short-lengths in the building and construction field has now been sold in excess of 50,000 copies. Dean Franklin Moon, of the New York State College of Forestry, Syracuse, N. Y.. has informed the Committee that the bulletin will be
Monthly News Bulletin No. 29—10.

used as a textbook at the college. The Committee is now negotiating with various branches

of the Government, notably the War Department, in regard to the inclusion of short-lengths

in Government specifications.

A bulletin entitled, "End-Matched Softwood Lumber and Its Use," was released by the Committee on July 25th. This bulletin was prepared by a special subcommittee under the chairmanship of Mr. William F. Chew of Baltimore, Maryland. The end-matching of softwood lumber promises to be one of the most important factors in the Committee's program. The

Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin, will conduct a series of tests of the behavior of end-matched lumber under various conditions in building and construction. The

Committee has received recommendations that it undertake a special study of the use of

end-matched lumber for concrete form work for which purpose this stock seems to have a special application.

The draft of the first bulletin for the lumber consumers on Seasoning and Handling of

Lumber, has been finished and will be published in the Fall. A bulletin on Sawdust and

Wood Flour is now ready for the printer and will be released upon the completion of the

Virginia Survey on Non-utilized Wood.

A preliminary test has been made in regard to the operation of a special typ9 of small : circular saw suitable for box factories and planing mills. This saw, it developed, en- i ables the cutting of lumber smooth enough to be used for boxes and crates without further

dressing. This matter will be submitted to the Executive Committee in the early Fall with

the recommendation that a more detailed study be made of this project.

The Committee is cooperating with the inventor of a process for the fire-proofing of wood.

Tests are being conducted to ascertain its fire retarding qualities. Samples are also

being sent to tropical regions in order to find out whether this treated lumber will re- sist the attack of white ants and destructive borers.

21 . AMERICAN MARINE STANDARDS COMMITTEE

The following proposed standards have been submitted to Technical Committees for final

recommendations to the Executive Board:

Hubs for Built-up Propellers

Fairwater Caps for Propeller Hubs

Propeller Hub Studs, Nuts and Lock Screws

Packing Gland for Propeller Hubs.

Data have been obtained from th9 Public Health Service as basis for proposed American Marine Standards for first aid equipment for ships. The data will be compiled for consideration by the committees at an early date.

A proposed specification for marine glue for ship decks with appended notes regarding use and conditions for application of the glue has been submitted to the membership for

critical comment.

Proposed standard for lifeboat sizes from 14 to 30 feet in length and both narrow and wide

types was submitted jointly to the subject committee on lifeboats and to the technical

committees on "Hull Details" and "Ship Operation Details."

Finished draft of standard for flanged couplings for propeller shafting and loose countings for inboard propeller shafts was prepared for publication as AMSC 27.

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