The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-04-29
FIGHT
BROKERS
Shingle Men of State Hope
to Form Selling Agency
to Handle Output.

The manufacturers have declared war
on the brokers and as consequence
many shingle mills throughout the state
have closed down for an indefinite
period. In many small towns these
ever recurring shut downs are nothing
short of calamity as they are en-.
tirely dependent upon the shingle and
sawmills for their prosperity. With
shingle stocks in the East nearly de-
pleted and but few cars in transit it
seems to the casual observer entirely
uncalled for. The consumer surely will
derive no benefit from the close down
whether shingles be high or low he
pays about the same figure for the
product 1t is the gambler in shingles
the broker-who reaps the harvest.
It will remain that way as long as
shingles are speculative commodity
like corn and wheat, and cotton. The
broker bets the Eastern dealer he can
deliver shingles at a certain figure and
to make good he squeezes the manufac
turer. AS long as he can force the
bet.
He has held the whip hand in the
shingle business for years although
there have been several attempts on
the part of the manufacturers to break
up the game of the brokers by form
ing associations to handle their output.
This time the mill men claim it is a
fight to the finish and that hereafter
they will sell direct to the trade. If
majority of the mills can be brought in
line and held there they may win out.
They will have to give protection
though to the small manufacturer-the
man with small means. The brokers
have been able to dominate the situa-
tion mostly because of the inability
of the small manufacturers to handle
their output direct. The shingle bust
ness has presented very alluring pos
sibilities and many men have gone in
to the business on shoestring. They
found themselves unable to wait from
sixty to ninety days for their returrt
The labor had to be paid, the timber
paid for, payments made on their ma
chinery, etc., and the accommodating
broker, with his 80 per cent cash
on bills of lading got the shingles.
Failing in the past to form selling
association that would do the business,
the reply of the manufacturers to the
slash in prices has been curtailed pro-
duetion. They have virtually said to
the broker: "You have quoted certain
figures to the trade but if you can't
get the shingles you'll have to revise
your price list-and We'll see that you
don't get the shingles" A close down
brought up the prices, but just as soon
as the market began to sag little
after cutting operations were resumed,
the broker resumed his slashing tactics
and the mill men found themselves in
the same position as before.
1t has always proven hard to make
the shutdown effective enough to make
any lasting impression on the trade.
This because the large manufacturer
has had a disagreeable habit of ignor-
ing the closing movement. Often
shingle buyer himself with yards in the
East he was independent of the middle
men and kept pounding away while the
little manufacturer held the sack. The
small men got it in the neck going and
coming.
A selling association which will in
clude if possible every straight shingle
mill in the state seems the only way
out of the dilemma. But the manufac-
tturers will have to get together closer
than they have in the past.
Keystone 0veralls at the Boston.