The Washington times., 1919-11-29

tdyily to A. A. A. headquarters an.
sought advice and expressed willing.
against the alleged profteering. \
Today the club has on file leo filled
ti0 questionnaires from which motor.
1kls may gain information in aivanc.
Isl seeking 4 repair man. This in
t6fmation Is open to all motorists
whether or not members Of the o.
ganization, ana may be had by apply.
ing to Manager Seller. of the A. A. A
touring bureau.
Officials Of the A. A. A. believe tha,
in no local campaign against profiteer
ing has there been 20, much co -opers
tion as manifested by the men unde,
suspicion, and 80 much success Ia a..
tanning the object desired.
1t was found in many cases that tn,
lack OF sound business system wa,
Responsible for much dissatisfacttor
and argument between repair ma
and customer. In these cases busjne..
methods were pointed out ana the 70.
suit. ,have' been gratifying to al
parties concerned.
In numerous complaints il was
pointed out to the complainant that
his accusations were unrea 90 bIe
md that the bill in question oukbt 10
Ne paid. And in practically All ea.e,
settlement was made without further
question, the complainant being satis.
fled with the deeision of the sscre-
tary and his COMMITTEES,
Bilh Were UAreass.sbye
T., In mhny other cases IL was pointed
out to the repairman that his bill for
rfepairs was unreasonable. ana that
Certain adjustments ought to be made,
To the credit Of the repairmen in
Evolved 1t should be said that not 4
rsinGle one opposed the decision rem
dered, and through the campaign mo-
torists have been saved many dollars
and many accounts that we're ap-
preaching litigation, have been set
tied satisfactorily without resorting
to the courts.
1t was particularly noticeable that
complaints were more against the In.
dependent renairmen and less against
the service stations maintained by
automobile dealers.
noteworthy fact Is that there has
been but one complaint OF Unfair
treatment or excessive charging dated
since the A. A. A. opened its campaiEn
against such practices, which tends to
the belief that thope repAirmen who
were profiteePing have seen the er-
ror OF their ways ana are now treat.
ins. fairly with their customers.
While in many instances repairmeu q
have reduced their, time charaes from
p:So an hour to 31.25 an hour, and
others have reduced their charges
from $I.aS to 81. At no time was the
campaign carried on with the idea Of
reducing the wages Of mechanics. On
the contrary It had - its primary
intent to force repairmen to give
value received ane to put experts ON
every Job where the prices charged
were for an experts services.
:. Should there be . return to. old
practices In any Of the shops where
damaging evidence has been obtained,
such evidence will be brought forth
Immediately and ussd against tne
proprietor In court.
It was also the object Of the com.
mittes to induce proprietors of shops
not aualided to work on certain Jobs
70 state plainly to prospective Gus
temer their inability TO DO certain
work satisfactorily and to recommend
shop wherein satisfactory service
could be obtained. It il believed that
IN most shops today this procedure 10
beihg followed with mutual beuefit
t@'repairman and car owners.
All sAsps sisss%.
TN signed questionairss received
i96H14e practically all the repair
sn0pS End service stations in Wash.
ytN0pGS While there are some large
Rsltf63 0hments and some small ob.
scufS shops that Nave not seen at to
Cooperate by submitting a state
pfM OF, their equipment, charges. etc.
II does not necessarily follow tina,
thesest1aces are unfair or obstinate.
Their indifference may mean many
things, probably only pure neglect
apd ne{haps that they have not re.
SeMed Questionnaire.
ont il particularly gratifying 80 4
Al A. officials that there are quite .
knfHnber of local repair shops and
tsefKice stations against which not 9
bs.pgle complaint has been received
SnA " 10 further gratifying that many
letters have been received commend
ing these same places. One automobile
dealer, against whom not q single
charge has been received, has beel
commended in nearly thirty letters
Many of these letters state that In
years OF dealings not an iota of un.
fairness has been apparent.
Most OF the letters received are
from Washington business men. Thai
VAS CIV pAsy WIN thciE OWN
fairs and satisfied with the servics
rendered by their automobile repair
men should take the time to write
lengthy letters commencing this OF
that dealer or repaiFman testifies
gloriously to the intelligence and
high class of the A. A. AS local mem
bership, and also exhibits a fine spirit
which 1t seems should be thoroughly
appreciated by the men engaged In
selling and repairing motor cars.
At no time during the campaign
did the secretary or any member oi
his committee threaten any repair
man. but on the contrary sought Il
use reason and to show the man under
charge that honesty is not only the
safest policy but that 1t usually pays
All in all the campaign has been
b t8lbH ,sn ccessful, particularly so be-
yca4sfssi se cooperation has been mani
ffelha& nnd satisfaction has been ex-
pressed by dealer. repairman and
owner alike.