The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-04-01
SITTING STEADY

BE OF good cheer" admonshes the Southern Lumberman
reference "a slight easing up the demand for lumber which
has been in evidence during the past week days for
continues phlosophcay ii the buying delayed building will
be delayed and building delayed congestion will and
the demand will be stronger when begins and prices will be
forced unduy nsstent demand entirely dpopoonate
TO the supply"
The Southern Lumberman believes lot of pco
pie who going to have lumber regardless OF the price and
the way for the umbermen get all there sit steady
IN the boat 1t states the situation from the Of
view of the dealer in this language:
The demand is heavy and nsstent Everywhere there
cry Tor homes and more homes The volume OF building i'm
mense and steadily increasing More homes iurn
tue put in themand more lumber with which make it. The
railroads. after twensx months OF physical starvation
back the hands of their and orders for lumber for
and maintenance OF already much in evidence with
obviously bigger orders still from this Not
single passenger has been built this country than
two hundreds OF thousands OF additional freight
needed and be built Immediately Bridges estes and
station buildings be built crosses be laid Think of
roads alone.
what do the other hand? large proportion of
the lumber manufacturers booked orders ahead of their
production Prices have been attractive and many mill men have
deemed wise book business present prices for ship
rather than gamble perhaps further price increases Pro-
ducton of lumber has been kept at remarkably low level for the
eight MONTHS despite the frantic and almost super
huan efforts Of the manufacturers to the stock This
lack OF production despite the contention OF certain officials Of
the has not been due of conspiracy
any wenormed knows unless take into consideration
the apparent conspiracy OF the elements the lumber
lecturers from making all the lumber they wanted 10 make AS
result OF these conditions the producers who have apprec
able stocks OF lumber on hand ready for shipment few
and far between They could pretty nearly be counted the
fingers OF onearmed man
Summed up briefly, there mighty little timber in the
try and there hundreds of thousands OF people who need un
Der and going have regardless OF the price 1t mpos-
she to set aside these fundamental conditions The consuming
factories the retail dealers might together and agree
buy stick of lumber for month and is questionable whether
there would the end OF the month be enough lumber go
around But the buyers can't hold off for They might
hold off for few days but then they damning
UP volume OF demand which rush all the stronger for
ts having been temporarily restrained The only possible danger
in the situation is the possibility OF stampede the part the
manufacturers Barring such stampede everything looks rosy
steady in the boat
It should be stated that the principle OF conduct ap
plies in the operation Of all business The supply and demand
feature is the natural flow but will deny that artificial
distractions make difference in the The oil
checks and balances that eventually obtain will bring
dtions to normal and will placid existence
" the calm follows the storm.