New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1919-03-29
DON'T GET LISTED
ASEASY VICTIM
Government Warns Against Trad
ing Liberty Bonds for Fakes

on the sucker list?
II you are it is probably because
you are not sucker but a patriotic
citizen who has known The. .Tibertv
Bond to be a good thing.
t-rlch-quick swindles have hoen
the great American sport for wears. d
The sharpers who sell fake stocks saw
their game endangered when Uncle
Sam started his great Liberty Loaf
campaigns
But they are smart-these gentIe5
men who live by their wits. IA
instead of complaining they jumpetk6
IN and put themselves and all their
employees to work trading their fake
stuff for Liberty Bonds.
If you have a Liberty Bond or IA
book of War Savings stamps you areE
prospect for fake stock. YourV
name is probably on he sucker list
of the oily tongucd sharper because
over 20 million patriots bought Lib K
crty Bonds.
You arc not to blame for being.
on the sucker list but it is up to you
70 get oh-aWay off-that list at your
first opportunity.
The American people arc paying.
out some half billion dollars a year
TO the support of worthless stock
schemes, The peopIc reap there
from $500, 100000 worth of-thin air.
That is not wild guess. 1t is til
estimate given by the capital issue
committee of the United States trea
ury. And the committee assures
that it is conserva tive.
Moreover, the half billion repre-
sents Just the cold cash that is turne
IN every year by otherwise level
headed Americans seeking a milk
and-honey path to quick wealth By
the fake stock certificate route 1t
does not take INTO account the vast
economic loss incident 10 broken for
tunes, impaired effort of DISCOURAGED
investors and to the diversion from
legitimate business enterprise of new
productive capital
The capital issues committee,
charged with keeping the nations
investment dollars on work or fight
basis during the war has made a.
searching inquiry into the devious
byways of fraudulent stock promo
ton. It's conclusion s. that never
perhaps in the histor5 Of the coun-
try has wildcat promotion been so
fagrant-from coast to coast-as to-
day.
AS g result of the governm ent'sg
great war loan campaigns, there are
now hundreds of thousands of Amer
leans converted to the idea of say.
ing and investing. With a very great
proportion, their investment expe-
rienCe is limited to the good, rock
bottom government F.rr bond.
The fakir is after them. Thousands.
of statesmen" carefully drilled in the
gentle art of Selling on the first,
CALI and getting out of town, are
abroad.
They will tell you YOU were a pa
triot, a real citizen, to have bought
Liberty Bonds. However, you've made
your sacrifice, the wars over now.
and really 4 IA per cent Is no re-
turn at all in peace times-let us
exchange your bonds for this exeep-
tional Offering positively guaranteed
to bring in anywhere from 10 to 500
per cent in dividends before the years
out-as soon as the oil we'll is sunk
or the mine shaft completed. or the
developed, or the like.
That is the brand of the stock
swindler today: that he is willing
as an accomm odation to you, you I'M
derstand-to accept" your good Lib
erty bonds in exchange" for his
stuff.
Happily there is Il government
agency today on the trail of the
swindler today on the trail of the
stock sharp. 1t is the federal trade
commission, empowered by congress
to prevent unfair methods of COM
petition in interstate commerce. The
NAV we'll 10 expected to
look upon the feecin& of Americans
of their Liberty Bonds as decidedly
unfair"
If you own a Liberty Bond you'll
doubtless have an carly call from one
Of the pleasant representa- Nes OF the
sharper outfit. When you do, just
drop postal to the federal trade
commission at Washi.c gton and tell
them about that visit and send them
the attractive literature that is hand
ed you, together with the name and
home address Of the salesman" Or,
send it in to this paper and we vii
70 rward it to Uncle Sans men.
1t would be interesting to know
how much of the 100000, 900 year
filters out of New Britain to the det-
riment of orr banks our merchants
and our legitimate business develop
nent. Also, how many Of us are or
The sucker list,
Let's keep our loose change 1t
nome