, 1922-02-15

dealing with the lumber INDUSTRY
The activities OF tho association in
advancing prices by concerted action
were contemporaneous with n stead
lily rising price level between 1915
and 1890" the report asserted. adding
tina in periods OF depression members
OF the association acted in concert to
regulate production SO as to maintain
prices.
The association las n separate or
ganization in Montana which fixes
prices. within that state. the commits
sion also charged, and there mas been
active cooperation between the West
ern Pine Manufacturers association
and the West Coast Lumberrnen's as
ISOLATION. with the purpose and Of
feet OF harmonious action on prices
and production
The conclusions submitted in the
report Were declared to be based on
documentary evidence secured from
the files OF the company and its more
prominent members"
cit should be understood the com
mission said. that this rather detailed
presentation is far from exhausting
the documentary evidence in the com
missions possession"
Other ultimate conclusions OF fact.55
contained in the summary Of the report
published by the commission includes:
Notwithstanding price reductions
from the peak of the runaway market
OF 1919-1s20. ranging as high as rs
per cent on the lower grades. most OF
the present prevailing quotations are
far in advance with war time levels
and none touch pre-war levels.
a.The price advances made by prom
irent members Of the. Western Pine
Manufacturers association during the
runaway market OF 1919 were char
acterized by the moro conservative
members and manufacturers as rad
ical,' incredible and tremendous
When prices had reached their
peak in February. 1920, n demand
was wavering. an advertising cam
paign was proposed to stimulate it,
I'm periods of depression the asso-
citation members have resorted to con-
certed regulation of production for the
purpose OF maintaining h prices ar
rived at through concerted action. n
as a basis for recurring cycles of in
creased prices when demand springs
up again. In the fall OF 1921 prices
again were advanced on the basis OF
utDieltQ HlpCh5 ioa6h -
duction OF over so per cent below nor
mai in the 1921 output. Notwithstand-
ing nationwide housing shortage,
members estimate that their produc-
ton for 1922 will not be over so to 60
per cent Of their 1921 production. and
there is trade talk of another runaway
market.
approximately so per cent of the
lumber output of their territory is in
the hands Of members of the Western
Pine Manufacturers association Since
the ownership Of standing timber in
this territory is in the hands of a rela-
lively few strong concerns. most OF
which are members of h association
the power of the association over the
market for its woods will almost in
evitably increase unless restrained by
judicial action.
THE association members have been
prominent in the maintenance OF a
box bureau, through which prices of
boxes and box material nave been
fixed by concerted action. The prices
so fixed have been a direct charge
upon the fruit growing industry of the
so-called inland empire and mountain
states as well as upon the e pack
ing industry centered at Chicago.
I'm order to make the uniform prices
promulgated by the association effec-
tive not only at a point of shipment.
but at destination, the members have
adopted n common freight basing
point. This frequently involves ad-
ditions to mill prices in h shape OF
unpaid but arbitrarily calculated
freight.
"As an adjunct to maintenance of
uniform prices, the Western Pine Man
u~facturers' association a ~endeavored