The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-24
ASK US. AID TO KILL
FAKE ADVERTISING
Members Of Associated Clubs
Tell Trade Commission Of
Big Frauds.
LOSS TOTALS $3.50, 600, 900

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23.-The aid Of
the Federal Government through the
Federal Trade Commission Is being
sought to drive unfair and fake adver-
Using methods out Of the channels OF
commerce. At a hearing held to-day be-
fore the commission Representatives OF
the Associated Advertising Clubs of the
World appeared and pointed out some
Of the methods Of advertising which
they say tend to produce unfair COM
petition"
The United States Government was
charged with being one Of the greatest
offenders In aiding unfair competition By
permitting firms to use the mails in get
rich quick" schemes although the speak
crs admitted that the issuance Of fraud
orders served to correct this to some
extent. But these. they pointed out fur
ther. came only after public confidence
had been destroyed. d.
Herbert $. Houston OF Sew York as.
serted that the methods Of fake adver-
Users created grave abuses which served
to injure honest business men. He put
lined the work OF the advertising clubs
in trying to correct this evil, explaining
the work Of the national vigilance COM
inittee, together with the State vigilance
committees, which attempt to discover
false statements In advertising. Tn
club was helped TO a large extent by
the lawyers Of thirty-twc States.
Moral Saasi0n Elective.
Much Is accomplished through moral
S%uasion. according to Mr.. Houston, who
said that when n piece Of fake or mis-
leading advertising Ia discovered the
advertiser IL communicated with. TO the
end that he usually corrects the adver-
tisoment in question. He said he had
been informed by the solicitor of the
Post ONCE Department tina; up to last
June fully $3.50. 600. 900 had been taken
from the public OF this country by mail
order concerns against which orders
hau been issued.
These vigilance committees. he said.
could be the means Of gathering definite
FIRST hand information against false mall
order advertisers Almost all such cases,
he said. would he interstate. He asked
for a ruling or al expression Of the COM
mission ~ 20 whether IL would receive
any interstate cases which are constantly
coming to the attention Of the clubs. He
said the clubs could become an ally OF
the commission
Jams~ keely. editor Of the Chicago
Record-H Herald. read excerpts from q
number of letters Of Arms in which the
belief was expressed that false adver-
tisiiH was unfair competition. He spoke
Of the methods of a Chicago department
store for preventing false advertising
from creeping into Its copy" In addi-
ton to instructing heads Of departments
70 tell only the truth the store main
tainei three censors who reviewed the
advertising copy" carefully. Then II
employed two women who went around
each day to see that the goods were just
as described In the advertisements.
Newspapers n magazines. Mr.. keely
went on. are commo carriers and their
space Is open TO all. None should be
allowed to use them except for legitimate
business. and 10 use them otherwise is
unfair competition and diminishes the
value OF one OF the greatest public
utilities. he added.
Tells Of Fakes Uncovered.
II. ]. kerner, executive secretary OF
the National Vigilance Committee. gave
several Instances of fake advertising un-
! covered.
William II. Ingersoll. chairman of the
national commission of the National
Association or Advertisers, also gave
concrete instances OF false advertising,
speaking particularly of the class Of
sales In which the advertisers assert
that they have Tough, the surplus stock
of manufacturers at 30 much on the
dollar and Offering the public the bene-
fits OF their purchase.
T.. T. Meredith OF Des Moines said
that If firms knew that they would get
into trouble with the Federal Govern
ment in making false statements they
would be more careful. He urged :he
commission to take w the question, as
did Charles H.. Porter. president OF the
Chicago Advertisers Tub.
MIR. Porter asserted that now tho club
could file 100 complaints for invest,ga-
ton and that II it sent out letters 1t
could file 5000 IN the next thirty days.
COMMISSIONS Davies said he would
be glad to receive complaints from the
clubs and individuals and when indi-
viduals hled complaints the commission
would welcome the national organization
as an interviewer.