White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-07-27
TO STOP BATTERY ABUSES


tee of the Associated Advertising
Clubs of the World has finally
taken definite stand in regard to
abuses in the battery and automo-
tive electrical field which are I'M
dernlining public confidence in the
industry. III.
Tie Committee has found that
certain practices, not only mislead-
ing and deceptive, but in numerous
instances partaking of fraud, are not
sporadic, but are quite general in
many localities and that prompt
steps in prevention must be taken
unless they are to become the gen.
eral rules.
Thomas Goodwin, local Willard
dealer is authority for the statement
that the National Vigilance Com
n1ittee proposes to direct its atten
ton to these abusive practices, in
order that the public may be pro-
tected and given dependable
guide and that legitimate concerns
Be provided with a standard on
which BETTER iIbusiness methods may
be permanently built. JFfp"ds
mo phase of battery advertising
has been more abused than the
guarantee clause or certificate"
States the report OF the committee.
irrespective purchasers are told
by one manufacturer that its bat
teries are Internationally Guaran-
teed' for a Year The next says
Two Years. and so on, one OUT
doing the other until three, four and
five year limits are reached, and
the time guarantee becomes prepos-
ferrous, incapable of fulfillment, and
of no advertising value to the re-
putable manufacturer who may care
to use guarantee.
"Other battery makers state that
their product will Outlast the car
and Buy the Blank Battery and
Your Troubles are Over. To meet
these claims competitors counter
'Outlasts Four Ordinary Batteries,
>'Will Outlast Any Other Battery
on the Market and so on.
guarantees made for second hand
or so called Rebuilt or Recon-
|structcd' batteries, which are being
offered and sold to motorists with
the guarantee of the rebuilder.
When trouble comes the user often
learns 10 his sorrow that he has
simply purchased Guarantee ana
not battery.
The National Vigilance Commit
tee further states that the motor
ing public is being imposed upon
from time to time by masterpieces
concerns who offer a REMEDY for
all battery troubles through the
medium of pastes, filters, solutions
and other compounds to take the
place of regular electrolytes. TESTS
of several of these dope solutions,
indicate that while apparently they
give battery greater momentary
kick, they often contain ingredients
which are absolutely a;ruinous to the
plates and separators, thereby short
ening the life of the battery from
fifty to seventy-fve percent" says
the committees report.
The Committee also cautions the
motoring public against those few
service stations, known and adver-
tised as the authorized agent for
a named manufacturer who are
proved to trade upon the estab-
lished reputation of the manufac-
turer by carrying on a questionable
business in the substitution of for
eign and oftinies inferior parts in
the reconstruction of batteries.
"The automobile owner is at the
mercy of a battery service station
in the matter of having his battery
charged, changed, rebuilt, or re-
paired, for it is impractical to dis
assemble battery and identity the
parts, the report states. If he
wants the repair parts put out by
the maker of his battery he is en-
titled to receive them, even though
there may be repair parts made by
others, which could be used just as
efficiently. Substitution under such
circumstances constitutes a fraud
upon the public and jeopardizes the
good will and reputation of the bat
terry manufacturer which the station
purports to represent"
"Thesc extracts from the survey
and report of the committee indicate
in part what the average service
station dealer is UP against who is
sincerely giving fair and square
value in service and products,
says Mr.. Goodwin.
Absolute remedy and prevention
of these abuses really lies only in
the power of the motoring public
which is losing millions of dollars
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