The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-28
WON'T LET EN- In
Topeka DOOrbeH Pest Cam
paign Faces New Problem.
Solicitors for City Directory
Can't Get Into Houses.
HANDBILLS NOW UNDER BAN
Mrs. Rhodes Says Women Don't
Read Elusive Filters.
New Turn to TOpeka's Fight on
Out of Town Goods.
HANDBILLS NOW UNDER BAN

closed to solicitors The appeal to the
women to wage war against the door
bell pests has had its effect and
Charles Mitchell, manager of the
Polk-Radges Director company, came
to the State Journal office this morn
ing hunting for help.
why, our agents can't get into the
houses. The women won't answer
the front door or the back door. 1t
will be impossible for us to get out
a directory if this continues" ex-
planned Mitchell. 1.-The women peek
out of the window and see man
coming with a city directory in his
hand and they think he is a book
bell he waits and waits but there is
no response"
Five of the agents called Manager
Mitchell by telephone this morning
and told him that they were prac-
tically unable to do any work.
please find some way to let the
people know that we are legitimate
workers; that we don't want to sell
anything" pleaded one of the men.
This is the worst thing I ever got
into. I can't get into a house"
Would Climb in Window
Another directory worker called and
said:
Il can't get into a house unless
climb into a window. Can't you do
something to help us. We never will
get the information we are after
Manager Mitchell wants the people
to talk to the nice looking men who
carry the gray city directories in
their hands. He is thinking seriously
of providing every one of the fifteen
agents with a yellow badge with ''DI-
RECTORY" printed on it so that the
women will know that the men are not
solicitors, book agents, peddlers,
tramps, beggars or men looking for
jobs.
Want Census Information.
It's a serious matter with u.s."
said Mr.. Mitchell. 1--WE are trying to
get information for census as we'll
capped greatly. We want to get this
work done as soon as possible but if
our agents cannot get the information
they are after we never will complete
the job
The agents did their first can
first drawback they encountered was
the "closed front door" A two days
school of instruction for the agents
was closed Wednesday night.
d. G.. Presgrave and r. H. Rodgers,
of st. Paul, Mimi, came to Topeka
Wednesday to take charge of the di-
rectory advertising.
HandbiIls, Too.
Next to the door-bell pest the hand
bill distributor comes. according to
rison street, who is heartily in favor
of keeping the solicitors away from
the doors of Topeka homes.
Il believe the door-bell pests to be
one of the greatest evils of the city to
the housewives" said Mrs. Rhodes,
land right along this line l wish that
something could be done to prevent
the throwing of handbills. These bills
are a nuisance and fire menace. All
the housewife does with them is to
pick them up and throw them into a
waste paper basket.
Don't Read En-, Says Mrs. Rhodes.
IF the same amount of money was
expended in newspaper advertising it
would be much better. At least for
my part it would be and I believe that
is the way most women think. We
are content to read the newspaper
advertising and buy accordingly. l
don't believe any women read these
handbillS that are scattered over the
porches and lawns. These handbill
throwerS are as troublesome as the
solicitors that ring your door-be1l.'
Topeka women seem to be greatly
interested in the plan of Mrs. Lila Day
Monroe to keep away the peddlers
and agents and are combining to wage
an discriminating war against these
peStiferouS trouble makers for the
housewife.