Evening star., 1924-12-04
Defends Sales Method.
Writer Says House-to-House Callers
Are Fair.


To the Editor OF The Star;
Under the caption Housewives
Warned to Beware of Peddlers," in your
issue Of the 2Sth November. you re-
port remarks that were allegedly made
by George NJ. Roberts. District super
intendent of weights and measures, in
which he is made TO say:
"It is unreasonable to believe great
factories are established and an army
Of agents and vendors sent throughout
the country solely for the purpose of
saving money for the people.
These agents specialize In dealing
with women, who they believe will ac-
cept at face value the statements made.
"Peddlers Of this type" Mr.. Roberts
said, "are not licensed by the District.
Is it not misleading to group together
peddlers of the swindling and deceitful
type with the law-abiding local repre-
sentativeS of we'll known reliable manu-
featuring concerns which deal directly
with the people through the medium Of
reputable statesmen and salesladies. un-
der the slogan of From Factory to
Consumer" or some such term?
Is it not perfectly within the law to
solicit orders from house to house for
wearing apparel, hosiery, etc, as 1t is to
take orders for groceries, magazines,
newspapers books or any of the neces-
stiles or luxuries of life? And for this
no license is required by any commu-
nifty which Is not hampered by short
sighted local ordinances which forbid
such liberties by prohibitive license fees
Is 1t agreeable to the man or woman
who seeks a lawful living by this means
Of going from house to house to receive
insults from ill-advised people who
seem to indulge the thought that they
are a nuisance" and that they have no
right to work for their bread at this un-
enviable calling?
Are there not local dealers whose
wares can be looked on with doubt?
And are there not salespeople in many
of our stores who are constituencies
about their statements which they
expect the gullible people 10 accept
at face value?'
Are there not merchants, who, IL
not commanding it, nevertheless ex-
pect their salespeople to deal IN
trade lies to deceive the people and
to make sales? And these merchants,
do they not buy their goods largely
through statesmen. who go from store
to store to solicit trade! ana Irom
out of town, too, and do these mer-
chants conduct their business SOLELY
for the purpose OF saving money for
the peoplef
There are millions upon millions
of dollars going out Of this COM
munity annually in insurance pre-
miums, say to New York City, and
1t Is not permitted to return to the
communities out of which the State
of New York is being enriched, no.
not even in first trust mortgages
the States people alone get this
benefit, and we hear not a single word
of uplainti
But when few Industrious peo-
pie who must find something to do to
obtain an honest livelihood-and a
legal one at that, by going from house
to house, a great hue and cry Is raised
against them! Some day. some of
those who now sink out of sight in
their deeply cushioned chairs to read
a newspaper brought to their house
by some industrious newsboy, may
be glad to earn an honest penny by
this means, when perhaps no other
avenue is open to them.
Let the other have q decent chance
TO earn decent living.
S. A. WHITE.