Evening star., 1923-11-18
Mailable and Unmailable Matter
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

Millions OF dollars. houses. auto
mobiles. pianos. victrolas. 1ewelry.
radio sets. washing machines, and
countless other treasures, all in the
hands of lawful owners who are ac-
tually aching to give them away
free-and 1t cannot be done! At least
1t cannot be done through the United
States mails II those SO fortunate as
to receive the gifts are to be selected
by any plan involving lot or chance.
Every day some indignant business
man voices in no uncertain terms his
opinion of a postal law that forbids
his FIRMS disposing Of its own prop
erty as II sees At. After much de-
liberation. the Blank G. Blank Com
pany decide that 1t Is necessary to
stimulate interest in their product
by vigorous advertising campaign.
To this end the general manager per-
suades the board of directors to per-
nit him to announce great prize
distribution scheme. Something for
nothing-always popular. Just drop
into Blank G. Blanks and see their
new stock, and you will be presented
with ticket emitting you to a chance
on a beautiful new automobile. A
newspaper and mail advertising cam
paign is started to attract the folks
In the neighboring territory.
And then the Post Office Department
steps in and says one cannot adver-
tise lottery schemes through the
mails The bewildered general man.
ager for Blank G. Blank is stunned.
Cannot one give away ones own prop
erty II one wishes, any way one
wishes? Positively no, one cannot, If
any elements of lot or chance enter
into the distribution of the gifts and
the United States mails are to be used
in promoting the scheme.
Where upon the g. m. makes loud and
unfavorable comparison between the
freedom enjoyed in the United States
and in Russia, and departs in a tow
ering rage to hearken to the 5eers OF
the board of directors-who were un-
willing to give anything away. any
how.
Years ago Louisiana was famous
throughout the country for its great
lotteries, in which prizes amounting
to hundreds Of thousands Of dollars
were distributed annually to lucky
sn The IN ey ", bs.s ssSu.ns rean
lated form, the state lottery. soon
was recognized, and Congress passed
laws prohibiting the carriage in the
mails Of matter relating to or In fur
therance OF any scheme offering
DrlZeS, QepGnueuI WHOko OK AL pax 7
upon lot or chance"
State Lotteries Abolished.
The effect upon state lotteries was
instantaneous. Since these enter
prises could no longer be advertised
except in comparatively restricted
areas, and not at all through the
mails, they soon died out European
countries, however, still flood the
United States with advertisements OF
Rovernmentally conducted prize dis
tribution schemes The Post Onice
Department does not permit letters
concerning such enterprises to leave
the confines Of our country, but re-
turns them to senders, thus saving
citizens millions of dollars that might
otherwise be dissipated in gambling
Some of the plans worked out by
advertising experts are unique and
interesting. In one instance an au-
tomobile manufacturer offered one OF
name the exact point to which II
would travel on Broadway with one
gallon Of gas in the tank. He
claimed that this was essentially 2
uncertainty enter into the matter,
however, and the distance travelled
depended SO largely on weather and
traffic conditions. the Post ONCE De-
partment concluded that in the final
anaylsis no attempted estimate could
be other than a clever guess. And
guessing contests are unavailable.
Another scheme even more inge-
NOUS in that 1t was calculated to con-
centrate the attention Of the public
on a product for a long period OF
time was that of a furniture dealer
with each purchase he presented to
the customer a printed clock face. the
hands on which indicated certain
hours and minutes. Each of these
diais showed q different time. In the
window Of his store were . clock and