The Washington times., 1915-10-16
MERCHANTS WOULD
PURIFY ADVERTISING
Opposed to Any Which Conveys
to Public Any Idea Other
Than Truthful.

At q special meeting, which will be
Oalled probably in November. the Re-
tail Merchants Association will take
definite action to stamp out false ad-
vertising among the mercantile snd
other business eataI lishments here.
Having heard numerous susgestions
ss to means fer the correction OF this
evil, the association at a general meet
lnR at the Raleigh last night placed
tself on record as unalteersbly teI opposed @ 20
the purchasing public any idea other
than that which Is absolutely truthful.
At the instance Of Julius I.ansburgn,
the president was authorised to ep-
point a special committee which shall
make a particular study Of the ad-
vertising question and endeavor to &C.
wise q plan for presentation at the spe-
cial meeting which will assure pure"
advertising for Washington.
To Review "Ads."
A suggestion which met with par
ticular approval was that Of A. Wade
Wells to the effect that standing COM
mittee should be appointed to review
Advertisements and place on those
passed the stamp OF associations ap-
proval.
While the trend OF opinion expressed
in course OF the discussion was that
legislation should be sought from Con-
gress which would make false or
chants were quite anxious In the In
terim to take steps on their own initia-
tive to check such advertisements.
Joseph A. Berberich advocated the
similar to measures which he said had
been adopted in several States WASH
ington Topham proposed standing
committee which should be authorized
a. 49, lat. <V~s Il
false advertising. Alfred Mayer sds-
gested a law patterned after one In Ger
many. which. he said. gives the gov
srnment power OF INSPECTION to deter
Ments.
A special committee will be organized
to investigate the use OF certificates nnu
with the Corporation Counsel in elimi-
mating the use OF the coupons and GER
tifcates. Secretary Columbus reported
that on a complaint filed by the asso-
citation with the District Commissioners.
the Corporation Counsel was now in
vestgating the question Of use of these
coupons to determine whether their use
Is unlawful. as use OF trading stamps
has been determined to be by the Ms |
trict authorities. The special committee !
will also investigate the question of CO.
operative buying to determine what
steps shall be taken by the merchants |
to combat such a movement on the part |
Of the public. |
Secretary Columbus reported that tho |
Norpo ration Counsel mas practically
completed the drafting Of a law to pre- |
vent fake" auctions.
Silver Cups Presented.
On the motion OF Y. c. Graham. q |
special committee was authorized to |
cooperate with other civic and ,rade |
bodies In an effort to obtain bad check |
law. |
The silver cups awarded in the win
dow.dressinE contest conducted with the |
fall trade inaugural recently held under |
the auspices Of the association were pre-
sented bv Vice President NJ. A. Leese,
who presided In the absence Of President |
X. p. Andrews. The first prize was pre-
scented to the Palais Royal and received |
by o. d. Grimes. the dresser Of the |
window. c. II. Woodward accepted the |
second prize for the Globe Wernicke
Company. and the third was held for J.
f. Cunningham & Co.
In accepting the cup presented by the |
Retail Shoedealers' Association for the
window making the best display of foot
wear. Joseph A. Berberich declared that
the dow-dressing feature of the
trade inaugural was the best advertising
scheme that the association had ever
conceived. and urged its repetition.
BY a unanimous vote. the association
indorsed the petition OF the Sons ofl
!;onadao. calling on the District authori-
lies to request Congress to establish a
hospital for inebriates
GeorRe Z. Shaffer. Hirsh Brothers, and
Galliher g. Huguely were eiccted ~
membership In the association,