Department of Commerce

Division of Simplified. Practice

Washington

MONTHLY NEWS BULLETIN May 15, 1925 No.

STEPPING ALONG WITH SIMPLIFICATION

Two events during the last month have forecasted a "Stepping on

the gas" in the progress of Simplified Practice.

One of these was the further reduction of variety, "by the soft

wood lumber industry in connection with the broadening of the American

Lumber Standardization movement.

The other was the development of a plan whereby technical, professional or other organizations may suscribe "in principle" to

Simplified Practice Recommendations.

The first of these events is an outstanding demonstration of how

a "giv e- and-1 alee " series of conferences can move toward an objective

which will be for the common good, even though the ramifications of an

industry may be so great that the goal seems almost impossible of

achievement.

The second unlocks a set of bars which has only recently been

seen in its fullest perspective. It has been against the policy of some organizations and technical, or other bodies, to give their pledge

of support to Simplified Practice as presented in its detailed manner

connected with one industry or another. Notwithstanding this handicap

of policy, the creation of a satisfactory form of pledge to enable them

to support "in principle" now gives every industry the opportunity of

securing support on a more formal and active basis than has been possible before.

Now the traffic sign of progress says "GO".

# * !<<

The lumber industry has set a pace for other big industrial groups

through its action on May 1, in lopping off still more excess variety

in the soft wood field, supplementing the 60 per cent reduction made a year ago in yard lumber industry. Establishment of standards of nomenclature for various woods, of sizes and types for mouldings and timber,

of uniform inspection and grading provisions, of terms and abbreviations

which will clarify the relations between producer, distributer and user,

holds promise of still further gains. And this promise is more than a

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hint, for the general conference of the lumber industry was told that

this year more than 90 per cent of the soft wood moved from the mills had

“been cut according to American Lumber Standards and that estimated savings

are in the neighborhood of the $200,000,000 mark.

Closely allied to the extension of American Lumber Standards in the

soft wood field has come increased activity on the part of those concerned

with hard wood simplifications and standardization. The month has also

seen another allied 'industry take initial steps for reduction of excess

variety. The Northeastern millwork, sash and door industry has taken

action to supplant a wide variety of items with uniform dimensions and

to seek to harmonize their plans with the products of the industry in

other parts of the country,

* * * * * *

Manufacturers of office equipment, and other concerned with uniform

sizes of desks for offices, held a meeting during the month, and, it is

indicated, will soon have a program to offer which will be important to

every executive facing problems of efficient office management and the

conservation of expensive floor space.

* * * * * *

Drop forged wrench manufacturers, who have been working on a program

leading to a reduction of variety, held a further session during the month,

and have shown a revival of interest in the problem.

******

Two stops of importance to the ceramic industry of the country, taken

within the last week, have been the adoption of Simplified Practice Recommendations covering dining car chinaware and hospital chinaware. These

two groups, in general conferences with potteries and distributors, voted

to include as a basis, the Hotel Chinaware Simplified Practice Recommendations, which number 100 items, as against several hundred previously

made. Similar action is indicated as being about to take place in the

marine field through the American Marine Standards Committee. The

pottery manufacturers pushing the "Recognized lists" have launched aggressive sales campaigns with special inducements to buyers who confine

themselves to the simplified schedule.

******

The warm air furnace industry, confronted with the fact that literally

hundreds of variations exist in various parts of their product — for which

variation there is no scientific or technical excuse — have named a simplification committee to work out a set of more uniform dimensions.

******
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So many inquiries and requests for the Division's Cooperative

services have "been received, that it has "been necessary to rule that

future projects will "be considered in their relative order of importance

and the extent of possible "benefits from their tentative program.

* * * *

Simplification is "being seriously considered "by the sterling silver- ware industry, and an initial conference of the manufacturers was held last

week in Boston. Steps have been taken to bring about a survey and the

formation of a committee to go more deeply into the possible advantages

and into ways and means of weeidng out excess variety.

* * * *

University schools of business administration are paying attention

to the work of the Division, and several communications have been receivee

from such schools in various parts of the country. The first to undertake a closer relationship is the Harvard School of Business Administration

which has arranged for A. E. Foote to deliver a lecture on the Simplification movement in its relation to business success.

* * * *

The undertaking of studies of Simplified Practice by an organization

whose membership includes a wide range of manufacturers is an evidence

of progress just called to the attention of the Division. This movement

has been developed by the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, which

has issued to its members a report of a committee on Simplification within

the organization. This Committee finds that there is real value to be

gained from the movement, and has urged its members to use the Division's

services for their own benefit.

* * * *

The problem of varying sizes of food containers, which has been

discussed at various meetings of distributing and producing bodies, has

been brought to the point where a survey is being undertoken of the percentage of variations in five nominal sizes of cans. It has already come

to the attention of the Division that some of these variations are as small as l/loth inch in diameter. While it will probably be some time

before the survey is completed and analyzed, the outcome will be one of

importance to the food handling industries.

* * * *

With a wide variety of products entering into home ewuipment and

construction already covered by Simplified Practice Recommendations, one

of the latest recruits is the Heating and Piping Contractors Rational

Association, which for some time has been making real progress in standardization. This organization, at its meeting in June in Detroit, will hear

the report of a committee which has been considering the possible short
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cuts to reduction of variety through Simplified Practice.

# * * *

Still another item of homo equipment which has "been considered "by

its manufacturers as susceptiole of reduction in variety is that of "bath room metal fixtures. Interest in this subject, aroused through association

in other simplification studies, has led to the calling of a meeting of

manufacturers to decide whether they will go through with a Simplified

Practice Program.

* * * *

During the latter part of this month there will be a conference of

manufacturers, distributers and users of paint and varnish brushes. At

this time there will be presented a program which represents meny months

of careful study of the needs of the paint and varnish brush users.

This is a logical sequel to the action of the paint and varnish industry

itself which last fall agreed to a program to limit the variety of colors

and size of paint and varnish containers.

* * * *

Progress is reported in the efforts of the carton container industry

to make about half the number of thicknesses of material now used in these

products serve the purpose. The Division has been informed of the indorsement of the program by a number of shipper associations; and the subject

was presented this week for the consideration of the National Retail Dry

Goods Association.

* * * *

Another important meeting which is to take place within the next few

days is the general conference of manufacturers, distributers and users of

grocery paper bags. As previously stated, the simplification program also

has been extended to include standards of cubical contents for any given

size of bag; and the engineering sub-committee has developed instructions

so that adjustments can be made by any manufacturer, regardless bf the

type of machinery he uses, to come within the xcope of such standards of

contents.