The Washington times., 1922-07-15
PAINT DEMAND
now GREATEST,
MAKER ASSERTS
Market Is Barometer Of Whole
Construction Industry
In Country.

EoNllSAlND, Ore, July ID Inc
present demand for paint and varnish
said Ernest T. Trigg, of Philadelphia,
president Of the National Paint, OH
and Varnish Associa ton, I'm ad-
dressing the first Pacific Coast
Regional Convention OF that associa-
ton, at Multnomah Hotel. here to-
day.
Mr.. Trigg, who is also president of
the National Federation Of Construc-
ton Industries, sounded a warning
to all branches of the construction
industry not to permit the present
record breaking revival OF construc-
ton to be hampered or interfered
with by a runaway market In the
cost Of materials or labor, because
1t is the backbone Of a general bust.
ness revival which for the public
welfare must continue.
II think Of business as the doing
on the part of each one Of us, or
our specialized part for the benefit
Of others" said Mr.. Trigg, 'fn order
that we may be entitled to receive
iy exchange the products Of their
specialized activity or industry. So,
after all, the real fundamentals OF
permanent business success are all
wrapped up in the thought Of service
Of a useful kind which gives to the
public the things they want and
need.
81 am convinced that to be sue
cessful as individual units Of the
paint and varnish industry and to
to be successful as a whole industry,
we must carefully measure all of our
actions in terms Of the public wei.
fare.
Yearly Figures Higher.
Figures for the first five months
Of 1922 show that the sales Of paint
and varnish in terms Of tonnage are
slightly greater than the same period
in 1920, our peak year" said Mr..
Trigg, as he made public for the
first time some valuable facts and
statistics on the conditions OF the
paint industry, and the conclusions
reached by a recent survey OF pro-
duction and sales Of $50 manu-
facturers.
"The property owner who keeps
his property in excellent paint re-
pair Is an asset to his community.
So Is the property owner who allows
his property to deteriorate, decay
and gradually rot away, a liability.
In saying this, am not unmindful
of the property rights bestowed
upon individuals by the constitution
Of the United States, but I wonder
II. without discussing legalities, but
thinking only in terms OF moral
rights, IL we haven't passed the
stage of individualism which once
existed and II. after all, there are
not certain things which we owe
to the community in which we live,
the performance Of which is essen
tial to our proper community char
acter?
Let us hope that the day IL not
far distant when the owner of
property who neglects II and there
by fails to make II serve the use
full purpose for which II was intend
ed and at the same time depreciates
the value of his neighbor's property.
will be considered an undesirable
citizen; and a social outcast with
whom other citizens do not care to
associate"
Warns Construction Industry.
A timely warning to the construc-
ton industry was given by Mgr.
Trigg. in urging all branches not
to disregard economic law.
Inc revival, ne bhius WuiSh iihb
taken place in the construction in
dustry Is, without a doubt, the back
bone Of a general business revival
and should not be hampered or in
terfered with. The point am maxi
ing and the appeal which I would
like to make to everyone involved
is that runaway markets, under the
circumstances, either in the cost Of
materials or services. can only, in
the long run, have a reactionary ef-
feet which will be much more dis
astrous to the people as a whole
than any temporary benefit there
may seem to be in II.
1T is the employers responsible
ity. for one thing. to see to 1t that
In times Of depression, when there
are fewer jobs than there are men.
the wage OF the workingman is not
cut down below the living point, on
the other hand the employer should
realize that there is a point over
which the wage rate cannot success
fully go II our industries are to con-
tinue to thrive and the wheels in
our factories to go round.
"It is not fair that a condition
should continue which makes for
permanently high rents while other
items entering into the family bud-
get have already been substantially