The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-22

Some time ago IL was found that a
large number OF cities had been work
ed by a Sang-~and possibly several
gangs-of shrewd, relentless peddlers
who purported 70 be offering goods
from wrecked steamshtp--a ship
that was never wrecked because there
never was such ship
Efforts to catch the peddlers failed,
The next best means was adopted.
The light of publicity was turned upon
them. Newspapers, advertising clubs
and commercial clubs Of the country
were notified and the peddlers went
out OF business hastily.
1t was the National Vigilance COM
mtttee of the Associated Advertising
Clubs of the World that turned the
light upon these frauds
mention that case to give AN idea,
in concrete way. of the kind OF
service tho advertising men of this
country are rendering toward making
the buying public safe. for at the bot
tom Of the whole advertising move
ment is the thought thai. to make ad-
vertislng effective. the first step is
to protect the public against fraudu-
lent selling schemes, of whatever
character
Seek Gret.ner Pastures.
And while ] am writing this es-
| pecially To describe the national work
along this line, ] may add incidentally
| that local advertising club commit
| tees make things warm for the fly by
night merchant who comes 10 town
| just long enough to unload a lot of
undesirable goods. then to seek green
er pastures Merchants OF this type
| have learned to give mos advertising
| club communities a wide berth
The National Vigilance Committee
has for one of it's definite purposes
| the promotion Of truth in advertising
legislation in new territory and for
that purpose has gathered statistics.
legal opinions, etc, which it supplies
| TO those advocating such legislation
| locally
| In similar manner, information as
! to unworthy idnerants of various types
lis gathered, SO that when they make
their appearance in new communities,
the national committee is able to help
a local advert sing club committee by
supplying information as to their past
records, AS this information con
tinues to accumulate. the records be-
come more and more similar TO the
| great Bertillon system used by the POI
lice departments to identify crooks
Movement Is Educational
| But the movement is not all Aght---
in fact. It is not mostly fight It is
| educational, primarily.
! From his office in Indianapolis and
with the aid OF II j, Kenner. secretary
| of the National Vigilance Committed.
| Chairman Sidener has At his command
J / 80 vigilance committees in As many
! local advertising clubs. In some places.
| the committees are known as Better
| Business Bureaus tn otf1rrr Better
Advertising Committee has been ,he
name adopted. But ~ all ths ooteet
| is the same grim determination that
| advertising frauds shall entirely srsl.
In some communities fttut-fi morn
| progress has been made than 10
others. but the army is marching for
ward everywhere Nobody is marking
| time
| The local committee. which works
! along the lines advocated hy the ma
tonal organization exercises patience
with the established advertiser, who.
! through his MISUNDERSTANDING OF HIS
o opportunities advertises I'M
| truthfully. 1t exhausts every means
10 make him see the light. 1t shows
him how his advertising not only
hurts him. hut drives business from
the community. hurting all other
business men. 1t sends other adver-
! tlsers TO see him and through it's in
huence. other advertisers often let To-
cal advertising mediums know that
| they believe such advertising hurts
them.
Illuminating the Crooked Advertiser.