Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1918-06-13


Rapids has an active champion work
ing through the United States, whether
they know it or not. And he continues
to refer to Grand Rapids as his 'home'
too. He is the field representative Of
the American Fair Trade League
with headquarters in New York City
and his activities are along the line
of prosecuting merchants who use ad.
vertising to trick and cheat the public
The evidence gathered and submitted
to judges and juries points incontrov.
ertibly to the 'bait" which is used by
unscrupulous "big town" dealers tc
draw trade away from the merchants
of the smaller cities and towns ad-
jacent.
The REPORTER is glad to give
publicity to the results of this work
and to all wholesome drives to stop
advertising abuses, because it believes
a benefcient public purpose is thereby
being served, and because it believes
that such publicity acts not only as
deterrent force against other takers
but also points out the slippery meth
DDS and places to be avoided by those
buyers who desire to protect them
selves against bargain" profteers.
At Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, recent
ly, large department store indulged
perhaps too recklessly in circus ad-
vertising. G. e. LaVigne went on the
job. He contends that the statements
made in the advertisements were a
confusion Of misinfOrmation, exag-
gerations, and untruths, designed to
deceive the consumers of Pittsburg;
that it was also unfair competition.
detrimental to all legitimate and hon
est merchants in Pittsburg, Western
Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio, and West
Virginia, in which interstate commerce
the department store directed its ad-
vertising and sought to do business.
The National Labor Tribune, Pitts
burg, says:
One of the most important and in
teresting cases ever started in the
Courts of Allegheny County for the
public benefit is that which was
brought before Alderman Martin J..
Griffin. 2018 Center avenue, on May
II, 1918, by c. E. LaVigne, field rep
resentative of the American Fair
Trade League, with headquarters in
New York. The suit is against Kauf-
mann & Baer Company, advertising
themselves as "Pittsburg's Greatest
Store"
The information made before Alder
man Griffin alleges that on the 10Th
day of April, 1918, and prior therto,
and subsequent thereto, Kaufman
& Baer Company knowingly made and
disseminated certain statements and
assertions in their advertising con-
cerning the quantity, the quality. the
value, etc, the manner and source OF
purchase, and the motives and pur-
poses of certain sales of certain mer-
chandise which were untrue and cal
culated to mislead
Mr.. La Vigne further alleged that
all of this is contrary to an Act OF
Assembly of the Commonwealth OF
Pennsylvania in such cases made anC
provided.
The hearing in the case was set by
Alderman Griffin for Thursday, May
%, at 2 o'clock P. NJ, and Constable
Harry Baumgartz. served the sum.
mons at the Kaufman & Baer Com.
pany Store, which was accepted OF
behalf of the company by its Secre
airy, c. E. Blum.
Mr.. c. E. LaVigne, the prosecuting
complainant arrived from Washington
D. c., Thursday morning and at one,
prepared for the hearing. He was rep
resented before the alderman by At
torney Alfred NJ. Lee, Of Pittsburg.
Morris Baer and c. E. Blum, presi
dent and secretary, respectively, o
the Kaufman & Baer Company. ap
peared on behalf of the corporation
with attorney Rody P Marshall a
counsel.
The prosecution was given no op
portunity to present any portion of tn
evidence in its possession, hearing be
ing waived by the defendants, VIII
gave personal bond in the sum of $50
for appearance at the next term c
Court.
The most striking feature of thi
prosecution lies in the fact that L
Vigne dropped into Pittsburg to in
tiate it without the knowledge of an