Evening star., 1915-11-30
VIGILANCE COMMITTEE
ON FAKE ADVERTISING
Retail Merchants Association In
dorses Plan to Protect Public From
Dishonest Business Men.
Reports Show That Early Christmas
Shopping Campaign Is Having
Satisfactory Results.

The Retail Merchants Association,
at a meeting held last night at the
Raleigh Hotel. indorsed a plan sub
mitted by a special committee of which
Joseph Berberich is chairman for the
formation of an advertising vigilance
committee to be composed Ct members
OF the association and delegates from
the various citizens associations
which shall receive any complaints
about false and misleading advertising
and take steps to correct such adver-
tising matter through the exercise of
moral suasion and the law.
The plan for the creation of such
a committee was outlined in a report
read by Mr.. Berberich, which states,
III part:
1T is the experience of many cities
that the work of a vigilance committee
requires the cooperation of not only
merchants but laymen to carry out ef-
fectively this great work of super
vision, and l am convinced that through
having an accredited representative of
each citizens association on this Vigi-
lance committee that there will be no
question but what the work will be
done conscientiously and to the best
interests of all the people.
Honest and Impartial Effort.
10 carry out the plan as outlined
will be a thorough demonstration to
the public at large that this is an honest
and impartial effort to create a greater
degree of confidence between the buyer
and seller. AS a means of economy be-
lieve that it will bring handsome re-
turns to the business men of Washing
ton, because with advertising under the
supervision of a vigilance committee.
composed not only of merchants. but
question whatever but that the adver-
tising which passes public censorship
will be honest advertising, and honest
advertising will bring bigger and bet
ter things"
A vote of thanks was given the
Washington newspapers for having
published announcements telling of the
readiness of It's committee on false ad-
vertising to receive complaints con
cerning false and misleading advertis-
ing statements and to endeavor to pre-
vent their repetition.
Letters requesting that each elect
representative to serve on the vigilance
committee are to be sent to all the
citizens associations.
Shopping for Christmas.
Reports were received on the prog
ress being made in the SHOP Early for
Christmas" campaign. and all of the
members of the association were urged
to post the Shop Early" cards about
their stores and to utilize the Shop
Early" stickers which have been pre-
pared for use on packages and mail
matter. The association voted to hold
it's annual thinner some time in Janu-
ary.
An address on insurance was deliv-
cred by Charles f. Nesbit commissioner
of insurance for the District. Mr.. Nes-
bit advocated municipal control of fire
insurance rates, and expressed the be-
lief that such control would do much
to ultima tely create a great reduction
of personal carelessness, which, he
said. causes the majority Of fires, and
that it would end in lessening fire in
surance rates by decreasing this ele-
ment of risk.
Z. c. Graham reported on arrange
ments which have been made for Elec-
trical Prosperity week, which started
yesterday.
The following new members were
elected to the association: c. o. Foun-
tain. W. A Pierce Company, NJ. Gold
Smith & Son and Sisman, Cohn Com
pany. Inc.