The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-16
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC y. HAsKIN, DireCoor.
Washington, ID. @
TRAPS FOR THE THIRSTY.

There is the American. thirsty and
with plenty of money, meditates the
get-rich-quick European. Thoughts
of sherry and port, MoseIe and Rhine
wine must recall to him a lost para
disc. Why not offer him concen-
trated mixture with which he can re-
construct these fine NEintages? 1t
would not be necessary 10 go to much
trouble, any simple preparation OF
fruits would do. No nome brewer
would be likely to anafyze the prepa-
ration, and if he did he would be
afraid to report his findings lest the
some technically. What scheme could
be safer or more promising?
The result of some such reasoning
on the part of one German Inanufac-
turer has resulted in 100000 circulars
a month being poured into the United
States. Americans are offered for q
dollar mysterious package contain
ing the basis for making two and a
sherry, Malaga, MoselIe, Rhine and
Tokay. One package makes any OF
'em. Retains all qualities of the
original because it is the original" the
circular claims.
A dash of atmosphere regarding old
Europe and its famous v1ntageS is
skillfully worked into the advertise
ment to give it the lure of romance.
The idea is definitely expressed that
you can reconstruct the exact CONT
mental product in your cellar without
any plant of your own and with very
little trouble.
How many. suckers have been
taken in by this too generous offer
win probably never be known. That
the business has been prospecting,
however, we do know from the pro-
motors own statement. When ques-
toned by the United States consul at
Munich he said that he was sending
out 100. 900 circulars every two weeks
and that he would send many more if
he could get the printing done. He
had staff of about ten people and
he contracted with a plant to put up
his formula. The secret of the for
mula he refused to divulge, but he adj
mitted that a satisfactory percentage
Of people responded to his advertising.
Victims Afraid to Complain.
Americans who trustingly paid their
not complained to the postoffice de-
partment. As the promoter undoubt-
eddy foreSaw, they are afraid of the
prohibition law. which NOBODY seems
to understand any too well.
But other Americans VINO have no
cellars or no thirst have become indig-
nant when they received the circulars.
Protests by the hundreds have been
coming into the postoffice department
from citizens who protested against
the mails containing matter of such
illegal tendencies, especially as the
proposition seemed to have cat@h in
IL somewhere.
The postal officials Investigated.
and the bureau of chemistry analysed
the mixture, with the result that q
fraud order was issued last May
against the German company.
The government chemists reported
that the preparation was found ito
consist essentially of two ingredients,
viz, fruit of a rose commonly called
rose hip and a fruit or the prunes
apparently a buckthorn." Tho
report further said, 1T is impossible
for these Ingredients to prepare stan
dard wines of any kind and certainly
not those referred to in the advertis-
ing matter No wine of recognized
quality and character can be made
from the mixture examined
Anyone who stopped to consider
would realize that while European
wines at European prices may seem
cheap to us in view of bootleg quota
tons. two and a half gallons of real
wine could hardly be compressed by
and sold profitably for
dollar.
The fact is about the only thing the
American customer could get out OF
this deal is the thrill Of feeling that
he is in touch with the romantic at
mosphere of old European vineyards.
Aside from getting mail postmarked
from a German city, even the thrill is
Imitation.
Better materials for making bever-
store than the mystic preparation
from the European factory.
Firm Takes New Name.
In spite of government attack, this
particular firm hobs up under a new
name and in a different European
profitabIy until the government gets
put a new, supplemental fraud order
to CO = its latest name. j
When this occurs, mail addressed tot
the company is ordered returned to
the sender stamped, Fraudulent:
Mail to this address returned by order
Of the Postmaster General If no
return address is given the mail goes
to the dead letter office Postmasters
are also forbidden to make out postal
money orders to the company named. |
This firm is not the only one of its
kind, tho it is apparently the most
and irrepressible. A num- |
Der of schemes of a different sort for
been evolved in Canada. One Toronto |
man sent out circulars with a letter
head IS Pure Canadian Rye, the !
Beverage of your Grandfathers." This |
circular, widely distributed by mail, |
offered twelve full quarts of Canadian
we shipped to any point in the United |
States for SIS, and safe delivery guar
anteed.
The United States and Canadian |
postal authorities both investigated |
his project The mans alibi was that |
ne had no intention OF violating the l
American prohibition laws. Nothing |
vas further from his mind than to |
ship any liquor into the United States. |
Instead, he intended to send twelve |
hull quart cartons of Canadian rye
grain. So far as the officials could |
earn, no shipments of grain had been |
made to customers in return for their /
money when the investigation was
VVI7at1,ev- Or NOT fEis rroiact vzaS a j
of the prohibition law, the ]
intent to mRIead the public was OBJ |
-ious. -and a fraud order was issued /
,losing the mails to the ingenious |
Canadian. who. by the way, originally /
nailed from the United States
Other promoters in Montreal and |
Quebec have tried variations of this /
:chenna Cenerallv the idea seems To |