The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1919-03-13

shp oi Mrrc Shcncr nj Indianapolis
chairman Of tlir national vigilance
committee. who is 70 twO.isltl tighter
and whom me- crooked promoter, ~
the country know ~ man who gOc
through vnh what hr undertakes
Prison Scafes the Promoter,
Among ihc oll promoters were some
ambition, amateur, fiiher easy '"I
scare olt bot also. there were old
time iatera such 49, Turn from gpli
W. oll and from n0l tu silver. of io|
laui. ,ulng ihc'r a.liyllic, ~ what
eyN oner ihe quickest fe'ufr'.
such msn afr rp' eitrly STOPPED
They know Their "ugh'" under IN
law
1nry d. ro' 'rir ssposure They
have uu fear oi INJURY through pub
llpiy Thcp d. uu' even care li any
one PCT scheme hA- 'u be- abandoned
They ha, Little II 'nk,
Bu thee fellow know that W
Sid,rcr and lho.c wlih Nhum he o.
associated no gu through wi'h Hhai
they undertake llat there are ny
nov IN itirfal rf',uns who i0rmcfh
,.t behind hly mahogany desks and
trji upon rhl,k ,sl,"s carpet men
there because Of e.idrn'c obtained
hy 'hls aSsoeia'iun
Nd th, ;, the thing N which these
fellows 81 sifa d ot prison
EIablish.hg a "Rogue's Gallery"
Establishment ~ rogue. gdllsfy
oi pIl AXE vas Our iif,t step sd 90
| TIM, manner. We have established files
0n ~ fake scheme. and have thor
ough'y Investigated number "i me
f.r.t nurrs.
The Rogu,'' Gallery or lfhrary ''
| Oh ffaud,. has been useful 30 many
way, +, has enabled us 20 gl,c in.
formation TO publication, whi.h Nef'
| IN dpuir relative ~ a.rcmng al.
ycf'i,,rnents Of specific oil ootpanic,
II has helped u give public officials
information. and through its aid 40
have co-urtra,ed closely with local
sdy.rtislng club vigilance committees
m their work against such culprts
Inquines Constantly Received.
Despite the discOufagincnt that has
been given the fake promoter NC con-
iinur 10 receive inquiries constantly
| M less than six new files are started
each day On the average ~ 'h' j.
bfafy oi oil frauds. representing Ny
cgnpani,, which had no, been report
ed 20 IL before.
And now tina, N, war IS over and
the pressure Oi some oi the Official
war time agencies. established for the
protection OF the public. Is relieved.
We anticipate thit IN numbr o' an
| qultis vii. inCflse
The falt promoter IS tempted now
as never before. :of there are Liberty
bonds in nearly evefy home aud hc
ha, an amrle ,u1ly of high dividend.
sure thing" stock, printed with much
gilt. 20 trade for them II looks like
easy money
In one county in the southwest
people had bought thirty millions OF
Liberty bonds. and al the time a
semi official investigation was made
fifteen millions OF these bonds had
ALREADY been traded for worthless
securities, mostly oil stocks.
Weapons Promoter Did Not Know
! Nothing is mo5e dishar,ening thar
TO lind that the enemy is making uSC
oi new and unfamiliar weapons, an,
lake oil promoters who had take
. every prccaution 20 cover their track
md keep out OF the hands OF the law
have learned something during IN
last few months.
Advertising space was essential 4
their success, and, because We repre-
sen, advertising mediums and adyef
Using agencies, and have the coop
Grafton OF a gtca, and growing mum
Der of each, these promoters iounc
publications declining their adVertiS
ing, and agencies refusing TO sefv,
them, as result OF our series OF re
ports on the situation
We fought fire with fire.
Through publicity matter which ",
issued ior use IN newspapers and o,heI
publications. and through publicity
which We gained in cooperation wit
councils o. defense, blue sky commits
sioncrs, local advertising clubs am
other agencies, such advertising a
the promoters were able 10 Obtain
was, IN a great many instances, coun
, er-checked. Many an oil stock sales
! man was thus forced 10 seek asciu
employment,
Support by Newspapers.
Some OF the leading newspapers O
p the country had already adrntr'
definite and strict censorship Of al
I advertisements offered, mostly as IN
g result OF agitation OF the subject b.
! members OF our association. In
r gregat many other cases, i, has onl.
p been necessary TO call the attention
OF the publication TO the fact tina
: advertising which it was publishing
b was of character TO do injury to II
readers
BY such means the promoter
- were driven from one group OF news
r papers to another-irom papers i
larger population centcrS to the small
cr papers and the drive goes steadll
i forward.
We have followed them, through IN
Il aid OF press clippings, writing to IN
5 diyidual newspapers when VIC ioun
s them publishing doubtful advertise