Evening star., 1922-09-08
FINDS HUCKSTERS
FOOL HOUSEWIVES
Roberts, Weights Expert,
. Scores Dishonest Men
CARRIED as Farmers.

Dishonest hucksters. garbed as
farmers, are misleading Washington
housewives into the belief that they
are buying fresh products direct
from the farm, Geo-ge NJ. Roberts,
superintendent of weights and meas
ures. told Commissioner Oyster in
his annual report yesterday.
'It is quite true" said Mr.. Roberts,
"that some persons engaged in bus
mess of this character are as honest
as those engaged in other pursuits,
but many of them practice various
methods of fraud, thereby causing
all of them to na viewed with sus-
picion. No other line of business Of
fers such numerous opportunities for
cheating housekeepers as Is anorded
the roaming peddler and huckster.
Here are joyful tidings for the
thousands of motorists. Mr.. Roberts
reports few, If any. short measure
sales of gasoline in the District.
Thirty-nine per cent of the penny :
weighing scales scattered throughout
the District were found out of order
during the last fiscal year and con-
demned, the report states. Until the
passage of the new weight and meas
ure law last year the department had
no control over such apparatus.
Coal Dealers Found Honest.
Only two instances of short
weight delivery of coal were dis
covered by the weight and measure
Office last year, Mr.. Roberts told the
Commissioners Check on coal is
kept by stopping wagons on the
streets, examining the sale ticket
and then having the coal reweighed.
"Peddlers of coal. a very large
number of whom operate in the Dis
trict each winter, cause much
enormous prices for coal sold in
small quantities to the poor. and 1t
has been found desirable to keep
them under as close observation as
possible in order to apprehend vio-
1ators of the law. Much time is con-
sumed in this work. and it is be-
lieved that If Il proper method could
be found to drive unscrupulouS per-
sons out of this business much
benefit would accrue to the poorer
classes of our citizens"
Out of 103 prosecutions instituted
in court last year for violations OF
the weight and measure law only
two defendants were acquitted
Fines and forfeitures in the other
cases amounted to $500.
Urges Congress to Act.
In conclusion, Supt. Roberts asks
the Commissioners to recommend the
following proposed legislation to
Congress:
1T is recommended that the Com
missioners give consideration to pro-
posing legislation by Congress: G)
of what is commonly called a "ficti-
tious name law" requiring persons
operating business under a trade, firm
or business name other than their
own to file with a District official the
correct name and address of the own
er or owners of such business; (2)
legislation requiring every corpora
tion organized elsewhere than in the
District of Columbia to file with the
proper officials certified copy of Its
charter. list of officers. directors and
stockholders, and comply with other
just regulations before being permit
ted to do business in the District; (3)
legislation granting to the Commits
sioners the exercise of suitable DOW
er and discretion in regard to grant
ing licenses to hucksters and ped.
dlers, and forbidding any person tc
engage in the business of a peddle,
of any commodity without having
first procured a license for that pur.
pose"