Evening star., 1916-01-01
Decision on Right of Commits
sioner Newman to Hold Office
Chief Event of Interest at the
Beginning Of Year.
RETAIL MERCHANTS
ASSOCIATION.

The year 1915 will be celebrated in
the annals of the Retail Merchants
Association as a wonderfully busy and
prolific period.
During the year just closed the as
sociation has inaugurated and consum-
mated some of the most ambitious and
necessary movements in the interest
of business and the city generally.
Scarcely a month passed during the
year that was not marked by a poten-
tial activity, covering a wide field of
interest such as trade extension, both
local and foreign. development of the
associations credit bureau, legislation
and municipal regulation. trade abuses
and public movements for the benefit
of tie city of Washington generally.
The associations movement for the
development of trade had its inception
at the better acquaintance dinner of
the organization held at the CONNER
cial Club in March. At that function
to do something every day in the year
to give vitality to the associations
slogan, buy and boost for Washing
ton." This movement was carried for
ward through the medium of special
advertising in Washington and in con-
town advertising movements later in
the year. One of these took place in
the spring on chartered steamer
which covered the lower Potomac river
landings, on which a great amount of
advertising matter was distributed.
Automobile Trade Boosting.
In the fall the Retail Merchants AS
sociation turned its attention to a sue
cessful automobile trade boosting trip
This trip covered three nearby states
reaching thirty-two towns and cities,
and on which at least 100000 pieces
of advertising matter were distributed
in the two days required to make the
trip.
The Retail Merchants Association has
been particularly active at every point
where the business interests of Wash
ington might be enhanced and has been
energetic in promoting trade weeks.
the more successful of which were the
fall buying inaugural and the dress-up
and fx-up week. The latter week was
conducted in concert with the national
electrical prosperity week.
The association was particularly Wig
orous this year in promoting the shop
early for Christmas campaign, and it
is matter of universal congratulation
that the Christmas season for 1915 was
any shopping season in the National
Capital.
Much needed legislation has received
the careful and earnest consideration
of the association. and drafts of laws
covering fake auctions, bad checks, itin-
Grant merchants, coupons and false
advertising, have been completed and
will be submitted to Congress at the
close of the holiday recess.
Advertising Vipilantes.
The Retail Merchants Association
has not only gone on record as favor
ing the Printers Ink model advertis-
ing law. but its committee on adver-
tising has been directed to change its
name to advertising vigilance COM
mittee of the Retail Merchants Asso-
ciation' and to includet in its member
ship duly authorized representatives of
citizens associations of the District of
Columbia All of the citizens asso-
Citations that have held meetings since
this action was taken have indorsed
the movement of the Retail Merchants
Association and formally named repre-
Sentatives to serve on this committee
The Washington Retail Merchants
Association is the first trade body in
the country to invite the public to
share responsibility of such vast
magnitude as that contemplated by
the activities of the committee and the
passage of the proposed law which is
now in force in twelve states in the
union.
The associations credit bureau has
received a marked impetus during the
year 1915, its storeho0se of information
being very largely increased.
Committees representing the Retail
Merchants Association have co-operat-
ed with the Board of Trade and Cham
ber of Commerce on the joint commit
tee on the fiscal relations between the
District and federal governments, con-
ventions, the Lincoln highway feeder
and many other matters of public in
terest and Importance.