Evening star., 1922-10-13
D. c. TRADE BOARD
!. IN WAR ON FRAUDS
II. X. WhoIIey Tells Mer-
chants of Fight Against
Crooks Being Waged Here.
BLUE SKY LAW NEEDED
Eugene Thompson Says District Is
at Mercy Of Stock
Swindlers.
BLUE SKY LAW NEEDED

presentation and adoption OF seven
committee reports dealing with I'm.
,, portan local needs. and addresses by
Harrison Hatton on the National high.
way. F. X. Wholley on the work Of
| the better business bureau and Eu.
gene Thompson on fraudulent stocks,
featured the first fall meeting of the
Washington Board of Trade, held last
night at the City Club.
Mr.. Wholley. In an interesting ad-
Dress gave the business men an in
sight into the workings OF better
business bureaus throughout the
! United States.
| The primary purpose of these or
I santzat tions." said Mr.. WholIey. sis to
re-create public confidence In adver-
t1sing. The bureau requires that ad-
vertlsers live up to what they adver.
, tise."
Tells OF Frauds.
The speaker related many cases of
fraud which have been practiced in
the District and which the bureau IL
; attempting to wipe out. Trained
shoppers are given commissions to
| investigate all sales. and goods are
examined to find out whether they
| conform to the terms Of the adver.
"A great many complaints on vari.
Gus matters come into the bureau"
said Mr.. Wholley. land we endeavoT
to investigate each and every one.
Some of the complaints are we'll
founded. and others. Of course. hav,
no foundation on fact.
If sales which we have investi-
gated have been found not to conc
up to their advertisement we sc
straight to the head of the firm and
endeavor to have MIN square matters
with his customers We have gener-
ally succeeded by this method, as
there seems to be wholesome re-
spect for the advertising law ana
no crooked dealers seem to care to
try conclusions with US in court
we have found that without ex-
ception the reputable merchants in
washington are anxious to co-operat,
with US and their advertisements re-
cooperation"
UrEes Stock sales Law.
Eugene Thompson. who submitted
frauds perpetrated on Washingtoni-
ans. deplored the fact that after
crooks have been driven out of olncr
states they come to Washington be-
cause there is no adequate law here
to curb their activities.
to these fraudulent stock schemes
last year ran over the million mark"
said Mr.. Thompson. And the worst
part OF 1t is that this money comes
mostly from the poer and the wage
their meager savings"
The speaker described how the
smooth talking salesman went about
the city getting suckers" for his
crooked schemes. This type OF sales
ayA HA
much money you have and then viii
Try to set as much Of It as he. feels
A vigorous campaign is now On foot.
SAID Mt. Thompson, to run out Of
1own every one Te Of these crooked stock
speaker: have come to him recently
and told him they were travelling to
; other climes. The only way to keep
! them from coming bac ok. he asserted.
lie the warning ITO investigate before
ne q .a'a sae inSestissts ifme9t sit,ass Ing
company he 10 with, and find out
S,ast whether IT t., 10 reliable; There ere
they are easy to md II you care to
invest your money. Most Of them
have been in business here for MANY
years and their integrity Is unques-
toned.
Plea for Highway.
But remember this, every promo
tton Is speculation. Invest slowly.
carefully and wisely and you will
Urging members Of the board to
boost the National highway. one Of
the Oldest roads running from the
Atlantic to the Pacific, Harrison Hat
ton made = brief address in favor Of
travel on this thoroughfare.
He pointed out that from the Mis-
stssippi river to tidewater on the
eastern coast the National hiRhwa.
was q good deal shorter than tn
Lincoln highway or any OF the other
transcontihental roads.
Of the National Highway Association
was now under way and that an ex-
tensive Advertising campaign would
be launched to direct attention to
this road.
Reports of Committees.
RepottA were submitted BY the FOL.
lowing committees, Public health, Dr.
D. Percy Hickling. chairman: bridges,
George "; oaatt. IT,. chairman: ia.
lie schools. william 8. Weshburn,
chairman; public order. ddeii s..
Smith, chairman; charities and cor
rections. Frank p. Reeside. chair
man, ana the special committee OF
the board appointed to consider refer
endum 30 Of the Chamber Of Com.
merce OF the United States.
Urging the support OF the board
for the milk bill now In Congress
safeguarding the milk supply Of
Washington. the public health com.
mittee called attention to the fact
that this bill contains all the require.
ments which have been approved by
the board.
your committee" the report says.
also desire to inderse the work
which Is now being done In hte COM
pletion OF the plans for the Gallingeer
Memorial Hospital and would recon.
mend that provisions be made for
payment for the care ana treatment
by patients admitted TO- this insti-
tuition similar to that which 10 now
provided Ter ct. Elisabeth's and
Freedman's hospitals Your commit