The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-10-07

Published by Ray R. Canterbury,
President and Harry Call, Secretary
Treasurer of the International Union
of Timberworkers.
Office, 207-S-9 Maynard Building,
Seattle, Washington.
On September 27th., my attention
was directed to an editorial appear
ing in the Seattle, Washington Post
Intelligencer, under the caption;
Cheaper Lumber; More Work; More
Building; All Industry Revived"
1t is pointed out in this editorial
that careful investigation on the
part Of the Observation-Disclosures has
revealed the fact that the retail
lumber yards are making profit Of
Al per cent over mill prices, that 10
per cent is the mill mans profit, and
10 per cent the contractors profit.
1t is further stated that within the
last eight years labor entering into
building costs has increased Sc %
per cent, that lumber has advanced
100 per cent, and all other mater
ials 81 per cent.
The editorial is directed mainly at
the enormous profits Of the mid
dlemen," it contains an appeal for
building revival, and points ont
that there is no need or reason 20
hope for lower manufacturing costs.
that lumber cannot now * placed
on the market more chezD.y without
danger of real disaster % -ae l----
Der industry. In conclusion the
editorial reads as follows:
Lower prices to the home builder
should come, and come z c--=-
But the cut should come from -.=
yards. If they will be content ~
take a reasonable profit. the &C.
mand for lumber will. the Post
Intelligencer believes, be greatly
stimulated; We shall have gen
uine building revival and I'll b1si-
ness generally n Seattle VIII os
benefited.
"If, however. me middleusr con
tinue their fatuous course, stubborn
~ denying the facts, then the mills
should take the easy and obvious
course. They should sell direct 70
the contractor and the home builder
al their mill trade prices. Now Is
the time 10 build. The only Oh
structionist is the middleman. If
necessary remove him"
There is much in the editorial Of
the t-Intelligencer that is en-
tirely true. the paper is TO be com
mended on us frank and open state
ments in regard 10 the situation in
the lumber industry. But when
it comes 10 removing the middleman
that is quite another thing and will
involve the removal of some Of those
who hold the most commanding po-
sition in the lumber industry today.
1t gives life TO the question Of who
the middlemen are.
/ desire to point out a few things
in this connection that are sub
stantiated by the advertising carried
in some Of the trade journals of the
lumber operators by the largest and
most powerful Of the manufactur-
ere. In the West Coast Lumber
nan" issue Of September 18th, on
pages Z and 13, is carried the adj
vertlGing II the Weyerhaeuser Sales
Company. This advertisement shows
the following:
This gigantic company has five
branch offices, it is the selling
agency Of twelve subsidiary compan-
les Of the Weyerhaeuser group of
mills that it lists eight District
Sales Managers, and Sc District and
Travelling representatives located in
10 states. 1t has for sale, Douglas
fir, Northern white pine, Idaho
white pine, Western soft pine, West
ern hemlock, Washington red cedar,
Red fir, larch and Norway pine,
In July, 1914, the Department of
Commerce, Bureau of Corporations,
released a report that shows that
this company either owned or con-
trolled vast area of raw material,
standing timber. In Western Wash
ington, the report shows that this
company or group owned or con-
trolled, rs billion nine hundred mil
lion board feet; in Western Oregon,
Is billion nine hundred million board
feet; in California, 100 million board
feet; in other regions of the North
west 2 billion 8 hundred board feet,
or a total of 95 billion hundred
million board feet.
ObAlSl NOl pOl III Vic
lumber industry have gigantic SELL
ing agencies, they are their own re-
tailers, the one company is men
toned here just to show how ex-
tensive is the control of large
manufacturers on both the manufac-
turing and selling end of the in
dustry. If the statement of the Post
Intelligencer is true, if its figures
are correct, then the companies that
are in the same position as the
Weyerhaeuser group, must be max.
ing total profit of 81 per cent.
When it comes to removing these
combinations, there is but one pow
err in this country that can do it
and that power is the Federal gov
eminent, no less authority need try
the game with any reasonable chance
of success. The mill owner who
owns no timber is at the mercy of
those who own the large tracts of
timber and who have extensive sell
ing agencies, the larger owners can