New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-12
Bv SAMUEL HOPKINS ADAMS

Aourhed the Truth Advertising emblem The newspapers
displayed literally The full or It, 1t was hauneo
on signs banners and badges everywhere AS welcome 10 e
convention Of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the World it
was graceful tribute. AS sgn-manua for St LOUIS ITSELF
was false colors ST. Louis has long to go before can
qualify in any general practitioner or truth IN advertising
For one thing first reform all its newspapers They
AZ. badbouqh by no means down the level of Atlanta Los
Angeles or San Francisco but below the of Cleveland
Kansas City or Minneapolis For another must clean about
half of it's large advertisers among the shops which fairly riot
with ridiculous claims besides occasionally passing counter
felt goods on the public the shape of seconds and damaged
merchandise For third it should get soEdy behind the newly
organized Better Bureau Of the St Louis Advertising
Club which, under the leadership of Griffin Mccarthy (snce en-
listed for service France the has already done
effective work needs the equipment and the authority to do
great deal Incidentally it might look to its hotels
By strangers city Judged small extent the basis
of the received at the hands OF its hotels In this respect
St ouis is unfortunate gave the A. A. c. W. example OF
what in store should fake advertising since it failed
sgnay live its representations One OF the shpula
tons put forth by Louis Advertising Club at the 9
venon the A. A. c. w. when it seeking the 1917 conven
ton was that hotel would be raised above the normal
and the club claims have in its possession agreement
to this effect signed by the leading hotels Whether not
all the gnatoe this undertaking violated it. am not prepared
to state but this say that heard complaints against
cay every leading hotel in the city the ground OF over
charging
AS an example take the Hotel Jefferson the official head
quarters of the convention Ordinarily get good
Portable with BATH there for So friend OF mine.
A. A. c. W. member thinking wise to be foehanded engaged
with bath several weeks in advance When he arrived
and asked the price he bandy informed that would be So
day for person. He took in aecoming friend who
roomless and the charge day. At the time ord
nary patrons handicapped by membership the A. A. W.
could get good with bath So apiece Some
of the New York contingent (who considered by the that
they getting off light paid So each for half small single
and the of bath apportoned among four
hardly think that the Jefferson will claim this to be its normal
From Minneapolis complaint that the Jefferson
charged So day for of room nsucenty furnished for
Two people, and that of the occupants who extended his
stay after the convention had only $3.50 for this
occupied alone This unmpeachabe proof that the eer
raised direct conaventon of its The
complainant himself former vigilance committee chairman
writes 1T would certainly be worth while for the hotel
know that they could not hold up advertising without getting
unfavorable notice from quarter.
The Planters Hotel is under the management the
Jefferson followed the principle of all the traffic will
bear The San Francisco Club (which by the way undertakes
the A. A. c. W. that hotel ovccharges will be
ed the 9l6 convention) obliged pay 50 per day
for and BATH with three people and 81 day
for people a One San Franciscan who occupied
without BATH alone had pay 81 per day. According
guests familiar with the hotel the regular charge for this room
would be $3.50 per day. Members of the Cleveland Club
plain that they had Sc day for for inferior
and that those who left early and received
rebate for the reena of the back credit of ST. 50
day for which they paying So In defence OF
the hotels alleged that the specified that normal
be maintained but basis of two people to
that is So would be So whether
pied But the have cited above certainly do not
within the scope of this arrangement 1t does justify charging
So per for and raising it to for two Persons
nor ebang less than half what charged against
the convention guests In my countrywide trip have
stayed hotels everywhere and nowhere have paid such
rates those imposed upon the A. A. W. St Louis
Sooner later (PerhaPs myself perhaps some
other is going take up this whole matter OF convention
bn bv the hotels and Of the country and stir
the hotel business considerably its immediate discomfort and
ultimate good Meantime in the eyes of large body OF men
who have wide influence public opinion ST. Louis stands
convicted through hotels of sharp practice its guests
In the local sorevvord there wide variance of standards
and principles Some OF the shops which most conspcuouSy dis
PLAYED the Truth emblem in A. A. C. W. week the
which baany violate its principle in their advertising Local
merchants still beeve-vith few excepionsthat must
bali the public with all sorts Of value and special Offers
order to interest them So they load their advertising with such
terms as value worth marked down FROM heretofore.