The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-04-01
FINER BUSINESS
ETHICS SEEN
BY EVANS
President of District National
- Bank Points Out Trend
in Recent Years
BY RICHARD HATTON

That the present is an era OF
higher. business standards and purer
business ethics lis the belief OF
Joshua Evans, jr., executive vice
nresident of the District National
Bank. Speaking of this trend IL
modern business today, Mr.. Evans
sald:
1.-THE significance of the better
business movement has become pro-
nonnced in the last few years. The
vigorous campaign of the Better
Business Bureau and Associated Ad-
vertising Clubs for truth in adver-
tiang' and the determination Of
! the Investment Bankers Association
Of America and the New York
Stock Exchange to rid the country
i sellers of spurious securities and
be not less important efforts Of
he American Bankers Association
nd other bodies have done much
ONWARD raising and maintaining
higher business standards.
During the unprecedented indus
trial and commercial development
OF our nation IN the last quarter of
q century, said Mr.. Evans, sit
as not surprising that there aross
bTl1e business practices which
prompted the enactment of regula
Dry laws. In many instances, such
laws accomplished a good purpose;
on the other hand, this policy per-
mftted the over-zealous reformers
and radicals to try out certain
cramping and unwise restrictions.
The inevitable reaction tothis was
the dicfuIn, Let US have less Gov
eminent IN business Men engaged
in trade, industry and banking all
over the United States, as well as
In foreign countries, are subscribing
to this slogan with great zest.
Nevertheless, thinking business
men recognize that under a repre-
sentative form of government, state
interference in some form in all
business that partakes of the ma.
tufe of a public utility will in
crease rather than decrease. The
effort Is to make this interference
constructive rather than destructive.
The best way to minimize Govern.
nent interference is to obey the
laws on our statute books. There
are forty-three better business pu-
ralls scattered throughout the
United States. Many of these Du-
reaus have been directing their at
tention to Kidding their localities OF
vendors OF worthless securities.
While the. work of the Washing
ton bureau is about evenly divided
a. TO the correction OF advertising
abuses in the merchandise field and
curbing OF the sale of worthless
d fraudulent securities. my atten-
On and interest have. naturally,
fallen into the latter class. Public
tty BY the local Better Business Blu
reau predicated on the slogan BE
fore you invest. investigate" is lead
ing many small investors to con-
suit the bureau or q local banker
before they part with their money.
The newspapers, almost without ex-
spreading the news of the activities
OF the Better Business Bureau.
Other public spirited men with
means OF publicity at their disposal
are also assisting in the publicity
program.
"As look back over the history
OF the better business movement,
am astounded at the accomplish
ments, and. as / look into the fu-
ture, wonder IL we all anticipate
the scope of its potentialities. ]
believe that the possibilities that lie
ahead in q continuation of the pres
ont trend to elevation in business
standards are great. To fail to
prepare for a proper fulfillment of
our future obligations along this
line would be most unfortunate.
Men of fair business practices have
come to the conclusion that there
no place in the American bust
gs world today for misrepresenta-
nn and crooked dealing"