The Washington herald., 1917-10-23
PRICE HEARING
SET FOR TODAY
Federal Trade Commission
Will Hear Arguments
on Stephens Bill.

Resumption of the standard price
hearings by the Federal Trade Com
mission today will bring together an
other interested body Of large bust
ness men Of the country.
The hearings were started early this
month, but a recess was taken when
the commission saw the enormity of
the problem before 1t, and 1t became
apparent that a greater number of
business men would have to be heard
than the commission first planned
on.
Secretary Edward Whittier. Of the
American Fair Trade League. a body
representing many of the business in
terests Of the country. says the testi-
mony thus far has been in favor Of
some fair plan of standard price fix
ing. Those opposing this, however,
contend that this is not so apparent
and It is probable that they will be
heard before the end Of the week
In refutation Of some of the manu-
facturers contentious.
In q nutshell, the proposition before
the commission Is the right Of q
manufacturer of q trade-marked ar
ticle to fix the retail price of his
product-the principle involved in the
stephens bill now before Congress.
Washington business men who IA
vor the standard price plan were de-
lighted with the arguments Of Will
liam II. Ingersoll. the dollar watch
man, before the commission when
the matter was up recently. and his
statements. entered In the record at
that time. have been widely circulat-
ed over the country in advance Of to-
days hearing as embodying the crux
Of the argument in favor of such ac-
ton. Mr.. Ingersoll says In part:
when the grocer buys his Ivory
soap he buys the physical commodi-
ty, and that he owns, and 1t belongs
to him, and he can do whatever he
pleases with that. just as the Su-
preme Court said he could. But who
would contend that the Ivory brand,
worth millions of dollars. belongs to
him when he buys a dozen bars Of
soap? 1t does not, of course. That
| goodwill belongs to the Ivory people.
/ They created it; they own II: It Is
theirs, and on the same doctrine that
the man can do what he pleases with
what he owns, why cannot the Ivory
soap people do what they please with
what they own-the trade mark?
1.-THE makers delivered to the man
physical soap. plus a trade mark, q
brand, which gave the buyer Of the
soap access to their market. 1t was
4 the Identification. 1t was the key TO
unlock the great willingness of the
people to take Ivory soap. this soap
that he bought, but they continued
to own that trade mark. They did
not sell that with the dozen bars.
| Why can they not do what they
please with what they own, the same
as the man who buys the soap?
'If the man wants to sell the soap
at any price he pleases, yes, but let
him take of the wrapper, throw II
away and assume the obligation OF
creating the market for the soap
but IL he wants to take advantage OF
what the other man has done to
create a willingness on the part OF
the people to buy that soap, must he
not in morals and trade ethics. treat
his name and trade mark as he re-
quests? In other words, should he
not be allowed TO sell that soap with
a license. something like this:
! 81 sell you this soap; I put my
mark on It; IL you wish to sell the
soap with my mark on 1t, you must
do It SO and so. You cannot use my
name in this and this manner. But
the soap belongs to you; you can dc
with it as you please. Remove my
name. The soap is yours. Sell It.
treat It in any manner that you
please"