The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-21
BUSINESS CONDITIONS
IN RETAIL TRADE GOOD
Associated AID Clubs of America Hears
Splendid Reports FROM Edu-
catlonai Committee.
LLEwELLyN f. PRATT HEARD
Eminent Advertising Expert, Who
Recently Spoke In Richmond. Gives
Out Authoritative Statement In
Chicago-Truthful Advertising Pays

Business conditions IN the retail
trade throughout the United States
are satisfactory, according to the re-
port made recently by advertising men
at Chicago, OF the survey for the ben
eft of national advertisers.
With the beginning OF the new year,
following months OF depression, the
first merchandising investigation by
the Educational Research Committee
of the Associated Advertising Clubs
of the world was made. 1t result have
been reported by Llewellyn E. Pratt, of
New ! ork. who a few weeks ago in
spired the Richmond Advertisers Club
by tell OF business reveal In tho South.
Though the report OF his committee
had not been completed Mr.. Pratt was
In possession OF facts suhstantiating
every statement.
Talking on his committees report at
the Chicago meeting Mr. Pratt de-
clared the survey had more than paid
for itself and he announced that an
other survey is in contemplation for
the coming fall. The survey. he said.
was inspired by the desire to aid ad
men and to add 10 the confidence or
the business man in advertising
1T has accomplished both of these
purpose" Mr.. Pratt asserted, and
moreover Is IA monument to the I'M
selfish and uuremunerated devotion OF
advertising men all over the country
to their mutual good.
Proposed by Mr.. MacMartin
Mr.. MacMartin Of Minneapolis con-
ceived the idea of making q business
investigation to help advertising men
to intell!gently place their business,
explained Mr.. Pratt. He estinated
1t would cost about 81 900, and as we
didn't have a dollar in the world we
concluded we had better go ahead.
All We had to do was to make the
book worth SIS and II would sell IT.
self. We didn't want to make our
investigation too broad and so We
took only four lines of retail dema nd.
We sent blanks to members of our
association In cities all over the eoun-
try. asking them TO see their mer-
chants and find out how were sales and
collections. how business compared
with year ago. and what lines had
been added or dropped, the last to
guage the effect OF the war on trade.
II we hadn't done any more than go
before 1900 leading merchants TO ask
for this information we would have
done much for ADVERTISING in IN
creasing their confidence.
ION December blanks were sent
out to members. On December 10
we had complete reports from seven
ty-eight cities. On December Is the
last report came in. from Honolulu.
An expert statist was secured and on
December 30 a book of forty-six pages
with twenty pages of maps was COM
pleted and mailed to those who had
ordered it,
Mr.. Pratt's message was one OF CO.
operation. He pointed out to the Chi
cago advertising men that the days
OF unfriendly competition In adver :
Using were over and that they haa
better not existed at all. He entered
into the composition OF the Associated
Advertising Clubs of the World. which
will holt its next annual convention
in Chicago June 10 to %.
Truthful Advertising PAYS.
The only kind Of advertising that
pays is truthful advertising" said Mr..
Pratt THE nontruthful advertise
ment hurts the truthful ad beside 1t.
Anybody that Injuries the confidence
of the public minlmizes the value of
advertising. That is very largely what
we are trying to bring home in our
vigilance work.
While the national convention is
not In session. the government OF the
Associated Advertising Clubs rests for
the most part with the national com
mission. representing fifteen depart
ments Of advertising. and composed OF
fortyfiye men who have money invest
ed in publicity and are for the most
part Of firms themselves.
The educational committee had to
do with all the activities or the clubs
except those covered by the vigilance
committee. II Is composed OF ninty-
seven men. one from each OF the