davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22

maximum. In this sense the whole
scheme will have accomplished
nothing more than to set us back
to precisely the same conditions
as preceded and provoked the war
that came in 1914.
Farley ignored Labor.
1.-THE Labor Party here has for
q long time been steadily advocat-
ing a plan of disarmament which
we believe eliminates these faults.
Instead Of an abrupt and total
cessation Of all forms Of construc.
ton we have urged q progressive
reduction Of armament building,
increasing over n period Of years
until finally the point would be
reached at which all future con-
struction would be abolished.
I'm this fashion there would be
a minimum OF suffering by labor
and ample notification to owners
OF plants TO prepare for their con-
version to other uses.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22

BEST of all, there would be
slowly developed sentiment that
might eventually crystalline into a
genuine demand by the people. for
complete disarmament as the only
sane solution of the worlds prob
lem.
1T Il undeniably true that the
very composition Of the three great
postwar gatheringsA-at Versailles,
Geneva and Washington-makes
the term world conference a mis-
homer. These conferences, called
to effect the cure Of the ills Of the
whole world, have deliberately ex.
cluded representatives Of a sub
stantial proportion Of the worlds
population.
"In the case Of Germany, with
whom we are at peace, the govern
ment still holds her unfit to be ad'
mitted to councils in which her
fate is to be determined. Russia
whose losses in human life and
physical resources exceeded. all the
other allies'-is likewise a pariah
from these world conferences
yet what Is the world 10 do with
an insolvent Germany and pros
trate Russia thus kicked down into
economic death. Obviously. our
very economic existence depends
upon their restoration. But this Is
only part Of the unfortunate state
Of affairs.
what about labor In this most
recent. miscalled world conference
at Washington Re-read the lists
Of delegates sent to that gathering.
Find the name OF ono representative
OF labor on q single list. IL cannot
be done. Yet what man would pre-
sumo to say that the great purpose
for which the Washington confer.
ence was called meant moro TO any
class than to labors"
As to the soundness Of the much
bruited plan to restore economic
stability to Europe and the world
through a remission by Great Brit
ain Of all debts owing her and a
corresponding cancellation by the
United States Of Great Britain's
debt. Mr.. Henderson dictated the
following statement:
"Labof Is strongly in favor Of an
arrangement being made among all
the nations associated in the war
for the cancellation Of their mutual
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22

were bona fide. to running down or
CARNATIONS offering to buy Liberty
bonds from Government employees
by the tempting slogan, Highest
prices paid for Liberty bonds" AnS
did you know that In well-authenti-
Gated instances some Of THESE latter
concerns have been discovered to
be paying the lowest prices?
About five or six years ago II
became evident to the advertising
world. which comprises the member
ship of the Associated Advertising
Clubs, that many advertisements
were so destroying public confidence
that people frequently refused to
patronize certain firms, while many
of the more reputable firms never
advertised, through any medium be-
cause Of the stigma attached to the
advertising game. Moreover, many
Of the publications themselves OBJ
jected to being the vehicle for pro-
noting fraudulent advertising.
But advertising was the recog.
nized method Of reaching the public
ear. How were the Advertising
Clubs to combat this evil Of misrep-
resentation? II they did not do
something soon, the Government
might take 1t in hand. 1t became
O problem on which they studied for
many months before they reached a
solution. p
VIGILANCE COMMITTEES. 20
At length the idea came. Vigi-
lance committees must be estab-
lished In the various cities through
out the country to watch the adver-
tisements and discover every ease
Of Misrepresentation and correct 1t.
The public would be the gamers.
Not they alone: the merchants them
selves were the ones interested In
getting the trade. 1t would benefit
them to advertise honestly. The
newspapers and magazines depend
on large revenues from advertising.
1t was for their intere1ts to publish
only reliable advertisements.
The result was that vigilance
committees were formed having as
members the advertising men. As
an experiment they were tried out
in two large cities of the Middle
West with great success. They were
later known as Business Bureaus. q
name which more exactly signified
their purpose.
The Better Business Bureau in
every city maintained a permanent
organization with a director familiar
with retail merchandise and mer.
chandising conditions and a compe-
tent shopping STAFF. When a firm
came out with a full page advertise
ment in a Sunday paper portraying
commodities marked down to prices
suspiciously far below their normal
value. a shopper" from the Bureau
promptly appeared at the counter
when the sale began to investigate
or to purchase the article reduced"
II he found. perchance, that mat
tresses advertised 1856. formerly
$780," had been selling for the past
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22
One Man Duel Hoax
Sets Paris Laughing

pARIS. Jan. 21.-All Paris is
laughing at the revolver duel"
arranged to take place in the Bots
de Boulogne between two journa-
lists, M. Marcel Coulaud and NJ.
Rene d'Ixelle, who had had serious
differences" The announcement
was made with due solemnity by
Bon Soir, a Journal which loves
to poke fun on all possible &C.
casions.
Yesterday there was q solemn
procession of taxicabs to the Bois
de Boulogne. The police were
waiting, and as principals and
seconds got out Of their cabs, &C
companied by their doctor, they
were officially informed that the
duel could not take place.
This statement was unnecessary.
for Marcel Coulaud and Rene
d'Ixelle are the signatures Of one
and the same person.
Bon Soit laughs good.humoredly
over Its amusing hoax.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22

. fundamental fact OF world bus-
ness-that individual prosperity. Is
inseparably linked with and abso-
lutely dependent upon universal
prosperity. Tho difference between
. solvent, prosperous Europe and
the Europe the Peace Treaty has
made is the difference between .
Germany solvent and willing TO
buy and the Germany that exists
today.
ANY scheme that can restore
pre-war economic conditions In the
world - without having for its
foundation the restoration Of Ger
many to at least an approximation
Of Its prs-war solvency-has yet
to be put forward. Until Il has
been 1 shall continue to hold to
my opinion that there Is no such
scheme.
"As for purely domestic condi-
tons, In a business sense, they are
not only bad-the immediate fu-
ture seems to me to hold no prom
Use Of their becoming better.
Labor generally favors disarma-
ment. There can be no question
about that. Fearful ones who antici-
pated serious trouble because of
the sudden stoppage Of work on
naval construction in England have
long since seen that their fears
were groundless. But the fact re-
mains that the proposals as an
nounced are far from satisfactory
to most of us who sincerely desire
an actual ending Of the wasteful
construction Of war material.
ADDS TO UNEMPLOYMENT.
From labor's standpoint the
scheme Is utterly inadequate be-
cause the limitation proposed by
Mr.. Hughes affects only naval con-
struction Of the three leading naval
powers. 1t does not touch land
ornaments, air services, or poison
gases and other diabolically eff
cient agencies Of death and de-
struction, to the invention and per-
lection OF which science is being
prostituted.
Moreover, the limited naval holi-
day win mean the displacement Of
highly skilled labor from naval con-
structional works, and unless Il be
accompanied by q. radical change
Of international policy which win
promote the rapid Incorporation Of
world trade and commerce and
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22

tons to herself. Such a release
from debt would assist enormously
in encouraging the trade revival Of
Europe, whereby the present de.
pressed industrial condition OF
Great Britain would be relieved.
so long as the economic revival
of Europe is retarded by the bur
den of huge national Indebtedness,
so long will economic uncertainty
remain and the peoples be compell-
ed to suffer from trade depression.
widespread unemployment and ger
eral economic feebleness. The can.
collation. of Indebtedness to Britain
would be real contribution
toward European prosperity, but
the cancellation of mutual indebted.
ness arising Nout of the war by all
nations would be a contribution Of
Vaster potentiality."
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22

cent apiece. yet this option was
written at, cents. payable In Ber-
lin. He expected to receive q
check or a receipt for 10000 marks.
A few days later he did receive a
letter demanding $3.50 for six
months additional option.
He began TO be suspicious. Then.
too late. somebody told him that
there was bureau in his city that
helped to adjust difficulties like his.
With tears streaming down his
wrinkled cheeks he climbed the
stairs. found the office Of the Better
Business Bureau. and tremblingly
besought the manager to recover
for him his lost savings. =
WARS ON FRAUDS.
The best that the bureau could
do was to verify the facts and turn
the case over to the proper Federal
authorities for settlement. There
was no way o: restoring to the
veteran the money so fraudulently
wrested from him. And still he
waits to visit the graves across the
sea.
do you know that during the
coming year $4,000 will be spent
by the Better Business Bureau of
Washington to prevent just such
frauds as this from being perpe-
trated on a too eredulous public?
Were you aware that In one year Of
its existence which has just trans
pired this bureau has handled, in
Guiding investigations OF financial
Misrepresentation. over 1000 cases.
ranging from shopping" to find
out whether "nightgowns at 90
cents. some with handmade lace"
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22
Ks AND FAKE BROKERS WHO VICTINlIZE SMALL INVESTORS
lG HOUDED in THE DISTRICT BY BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU

Better Business Bureau affords the
public. q protection which 10 cordial.
ly offered TO any customer who sus-
poets that he or she has been fraud.
ulently dealt with by any business
firm.
: Faulty Mattresses.
A reputable department stors-of
Washington had at one time sold
a lot of kapok mattresses, One day
customer Of this firm reported to the
Better Business Bureau that she
had bought one Of these mattresses
and had since discovered that the
material was cotton. not kapok. The
bureau Immediately took the matter
up with the manager of the store.
He in turn sent for the manufac-
turer. who insisted that they were
genuine kapok. As there were no
more Of the mattresses in the store.
the one under discussion was sent
for. Examination proved that the
outer edges were all kapok. but that
the center of the mattress contained
cotton. The manufacturer was re-
quired by the department store, to
make good the mattress to the Gus
toner. delivering a genuine article.
to pay all expenses incident to the
case. and to replace all other mat
tresses found to be SO manufactured.
Another story in which the dealer
himself lacked the desire to keep the
goodwill of a customer. but one in
which the manufacturer Of the goods
supplied this lack, occurred in the
case Of a young lady who bought a
raincoat guaranteed waterproof"
in a Washington raihcoat store. To
her dismay. the first time she wore
the coat on, a rainy day It not only
wet through but the color ran 20
badly that her waist was ruined. She
took the garment back to the firm.
only to be told that they could do
nothing for her, but recommending
that she see the Better Business Blu
reau.
MUST APOLOGIZE.
Since the bureau could get no
satisfaction from the dealer. they
referred the subject to the manu-
facturers of the coat. The young
lady was delighted to receive i'm
mediately a new rain coat from the
manufacturers which was far better
than the first one had even ap-
peared to be.
When 1t is discovered that a
merchant has published In his ad.
vertising columns statement
which seriously misrepresents the
quality, or the value. or the former
prices, or even the quantity Of his
merchandise which is on sale, he is
required to make an apology to the
bureau and also to publish a printed
apology. And making this public
apology has often proved to have
the remarkable effect Of greatly
stimulating sales in that particular
merchants store.
One merchant who swore by all
that was holy and righteous that he
never would make a public apology,
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22

but who finally decided that It was
becoming an unavoidable duty, be-
held with establishment the fact that
the following ten days saw the
greatest sales in his stores that any
ten consecutive selling days had
ever witnessed. That one event
won him as an ardent supporter OF
better business bureaus.
DIAMOND FAKES.
One Of the familiar overstate-
ments that Is constantly being
made which the bureaus strongly
condemn is that in regard to
precious stones. representing. for
instance, diamonds that run from
IS points. or 35-100 Of a carat, up
to half carat" Another is the
statement Of the number Of Jewels
In a watch in which these Jewels
have no specific function to per.
form, but are placed there to in
crease. dishonesty. the value, and
to supply advertising copy. A silent
trick which demands no untruthful
remarks from the salesman is the
stencilling Of prices on merchandise
Of a much higher amount than the
article is intended to be sold for,
say. perhaps. $500 on a photograph
for which the retailer will charge
only $3.50.
TRICKY AUTOMOBILES.
Certain common statements must
be used truthfully, not merely for
effect, as Especial purchase" "over-
stock" clearance" and remnants"
while defective merchandise must
be SO indicated by such signs as
seconds" slightly imperfect" or
run Of the mill" Then there are
the misleading trade names, such as
Spanish leather" for something
which is neither, Palmer linen" for
a cotton fabric. Alaska sable" for
skunk, black martin" for opossum.
raccoon or white skunk, Hudson
seal" for dyed muskrat.
The secondhand automobile
establishments furnish a field for
numberless tricky statements. a
field scarcely less fertile than that
OF the proverbial horse trader. New
tenders or tops or hoods afford
camouflage which requires careful
censorship. --. 10
The Washington Better Business
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22

Penny by penny, out Of his
meager pension of $50 a month. he
had laid by regularly, depriving
himself Of all but the barest neces-
stiles Of existence, until at last his
bank account showed a total Of
seventy-five whole dollars. Month
by month he had watched 1t grow,
anticipating the declaration OF
peace between the United States
and Germany. when he would with
draw those precious savings and
set sail, steerage, for one glimpse
Of the beloved graves. thence to
return for his final resting place
in the land Of his adoption.
Then he read in the daily papers
an advertisement that made his
heart stand still. $4,000 German
marks for $780," 1t seemed too
wonderful to be true. He FASTENED
to take $40 Of his hoard from the
bank and send 1t to the foreign
money lenders for 10000 marks.
The dapper salesman who came to
consummate the bargain discovered
by adroit questioning that he still
had $35 left in the bank. He told
the old man that the head of their
organization was in Berlin acting
as agent for the American Food
Relief Administration.
It was an easy matter to per-
suade him to invest the remaining
savings In German marks. He was
led to believe that he had an OPP
ton on 10000 marks good for six
months. payment to apply on pur-
chase price II the option were taken
up within that time. Then marks
were selling here at q little over q
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22

Indebtedness created by and during
the state of war.
There is, no question even of
their suggesting that Britain should
not honor her obligations to Amer.
lea. and 1t is for the American ma.
ton to consider and decide whether
1t is in her own interests and in
the interests Of the world as a
whole that she should be associated
in any general arrangement for the
cancellation of mutual indebted
ness.
But so far as Britain is concern
ed as q creditor. labor is Of the
opinion that. IL from no other mo-
tive than enlightened self.interest,
It would be a wise decision to an
nounce the cancellation of the war
Indebtedness Of impoverished ma
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22
Naval Holiday Without Trade Revival Spells Un-
employment, Noted Labor Member of British
Parliament lnsists-Economic Recovery of
World Impossible Without Solvent Germany.

fects the penalties determined upon
would have upon the economic life
of their own peoples and Of the
world as a whole.
What has resulted Is only what
was bound to have resulted and
what we of the Labor party have
been insisting for three years
would inevitably result-irreparable
damage to ourselves.
Take a concrete instance Of the
consequences Of this policy to ex-
terminate German industry. At all
our ports today German merchant
men-our share Of the division of
this portion Of the loot-are cum
bering our anchorages, pre-empting
our docks. And this while British
shipyards and British shipbuilders
are idle. What good was accom-.
plished by our Selling these German
shipsf There are no cargoes for
them to carry. And having these
ships. there is no excuse for our
building additional bottoms.
Take another instance. have
1t on good authority that France
has no use for a considerable pro-
portion Of the 81 100000 tohs of
coal she is receiving annually from
Germany-part Of the indemnity
fixed by the Peace Conference. I
understand. moreover, that France
Is selling an appreciable part of
this free coal, not only in Belgium
and Holland, but in Germany also,
Getting 1t for nothing, 1t is not DIFF.
ficult to see that France can under
sell all competition.
PUT GERMANY ON FEET.
under such conditions II IL per.
haps not impossible to understand
why In every community in South
Wales today miners are out of work
and hungry.
Meanwhile, however, the point
Of gravest importance Ii that the
gentlemen who determined upon the
economic extinction Of the Central
Powers were obviously ignorant Of
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22
BY HAYDEN TALBOT.

copyright, 1893, BY Hayden Talbot.
Publication rights in the United King
dom reserved.)
r oNDoN. Jan. 21.- "Investiga-
tors seeking the real cause Of
the world collapse Of trade
need look no further than the
Peace Conference at Versailles.
This is the position we Of the Labor
party in England have maintained
for three years-and to date there
seems to be no reason to change
our opinion"
Thus the Rt. Hon. Arthur Hender-
con, NJ. p. expressed himself today
at the headquarters Of the Labor
party-three private houses con.
verified into a veritable beehive OF
offices in Eccleston Square. OF the
half dozen labor leaders In England
none Is better fitted to state iabor's
attitude than this quondam moulder
who has risen from the humblest
beginnings to a dominant position in
the trade union movement in Brit
ain
British labor, during the war
and at its conclusion" he contin-
ued, favored the imposition upon
our enemies of every legitimate
reparation demand which victors
may impose upon vanquished ag-
gressors according to moral tradi-
ton and precedent. But we were
and are unalterably opposed to what
actually transpired at Versailles:
ECONOMIC FOLLY.
Legitimacy played no part in the
formation Of the Allies terms, nor
in their enforcement on the Central
Empires. The victors took what
they wanted and imposed punitive
terms by virtue Of their established
miutary supremacy and in defisnrs
Of ,he higher moral standards Of the
world and regardless Of unalterable
economic laws.
''They went to the limits Of pun
ishment Of a vanquished foe without
thought Of the serious adverse Of.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22
81 Millions
Spent ON LONG,
Distance Calls
by international News Service.

by international News Service.
T,oNG-DISTANCE takers
provided the big revenues
for the telephone companies
during the first half of last
year.
Figures tabulated by the In
terstate Commerce Commission
show that Of a total of $685.
100000 in operating revenues
reported by the telephone COM
panies, s67,OoO,OOo was paid
in tolls Of the long-distance
variety.
Increase Of about a half mil
lion in the number Of sub
scribers helped to cause a
jump of revenues from sub
scribers about SIS, 100000.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22
BY FRANCES A. BLANCHARD.

LIE was old and bent and shabby. Eighty summers
III had passed his head whitening his thinning
locks That of them had been spent in the service
of his country the small bronze button adjoining the
lapel of his faded coat would betoken For years his
dreams he had SEEM somewhere in the old country
two where lay the father and mother
who babe him goodby long ago when he had set out
make his fortune in the fairyland of America.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22
EXPERT SHOPPERS"
RUN FRAUD SALES"
TO EARTH I'm CAPITAL

Women i'm Pay of Organization Headed by F. X.
Wholly Make the Rounds Purchasing Goods
That Suspicion Rests Upon" Liberty Bond"
Dealers Who Would Fleece the Poor Find Hard
Shedding Under Bureaus Keen Eyes.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-01-22
MR. Arthur Henderson Says Restore Prosperity of World Commence by
Undong Wrongs of Versailles Peace Lend Aid Germany and

British Statesman FaVorS Gradual Reduction
of Armaments Rather Than Abrupt Cessation
of WarShp Construction THE Conference Has
Ignored Labor and Its Viewpoint, HE Declares.
The labor world., 1922-04-01
MINERS BLAMED, As USUAL

a clear Misrepresentation is made
ny 5. D. Warriner, president of the
Lehlsh coal and navigation company,
IN explaining last years profits Of
35,394,224.
The public can not expect low coal
prices until the wages of miners.
which were set by the United States
anthracite coal commission, are low
cred, said the coal owner, whose
views are in direct conflict with
tho anthracite commission. which
made this statement in connection
with its award:
THE commission declines to COM
NIT itself to an award which justly
could be considered az an encour-
agement to the so-called vicious
SPIRAL in prices. This award, while
providing improved conditions for
the employees, offers no justification
for any advance in retail prices of
coal but. on the other hand, is con-
sistent with q DECLINE in prices. The
award has not passed q great bur-
den along to the consumer of coal"
This plain declaration by a gov
ernmental wage board that prices
could be lowered. was ignored by
the coal owners. who Immediately
raised prices, and now deelsrs. as
does President Warriner, that wages
must be reduced IL prices are to be
lowered.