Evening star., 1926-10-29
BUSINESS WASTE
. CURE DISCUSSED
Drake Urges Cooperation at
Commerce Departments
Market Conference.

Addressing a representative gath
ering of business men assembled here
by the Department of Commerce for
a conference on market research, j.
Walter Drake. Assistant Secretary OF
Commerce. today appealed to indus
try TO cooperate more fully with the
Federal Government in it's efforts to
eliminate the vast amount of waste
through unsound practices that is
adding millions annually to the cost
of distribution.
Representatives of vircually every
KIND of business. from the retailer
interested in his own community to
the manufacturer and marketing
agency whose outlook is national.
responded to the conference call. The
conference was turned into a general
discussion of methods to approve the
distribution Of goods, with co-opera- =
ton as the keynote.
Sees Opportunity for All.
A. II. Onthank, chief Of the domestic
commerce division of the department.
declared the door of opportunity was
open to all forms of business by the
reaWakened prosperity of the Nation
since the period of postwar depres-
sion.
Income tax schedules now being
compiled, he said, show that for the
first time since the depression period
more than so per cent Of the families
in the United States have an annual
budget exceeding $500. The number,
he claimed. may possibly reach as
high as 60 or 60 per cent.
In this connection it was suggested
~ m
pile surveys of family budgets in ex-
cess of $4,000 the information would
prove of uninestimable value to busi-
ness generally.
Departments Aid Pledged.
Assuring the business men that the
Department OF Commerce places all it's
facilities at their service. Assistant
Secretary Drake declared the depart
ment has "Set the seal of ethics on
business.
Because We have respect for the
strong arm of the Government and
can use this to advantage, and be.
cause we have convinced the business
man that we can work with and for
MIN, we have succeeded in winning
their confidence" Mr. Drake said.
We are disinterested and unbia sed
and invite you to meet on a mutual
ground to talk over your problems
With us and consider methods Of CO.
operation. to the end that each in
turn may be benefited"
Mr.. Drake urged the conference to
consider only the fundamentals of the
market question, avoiding issues
which are not universal in scope, as
suggested in the call for the confer.
ence. A message from Rep. Sidney
Anderson of Minnesota former chair
r~f l,A TT.
lyllture, took exception to the sugges-
Fon that subjects should not be dis
cussed from the viewpoint Of com
modify lines.
Sitting (OmmitteeS" Planned.
F, ID. Brisslley of the Royal Baking
Powder 60. replied that Mr.. Anderson
had struck keynote in advising
that committees be appointed along
commodity lines. Business men must
measure their markets by the huving
bower Of the community, he declared.
and suggested that the department
could be of great service If it com.
piled statistics showing the popula-
ton of each district. the class OF
population, its earning and buying
power.
on motion of III. c. Campbell of the
j. Walter Thompson Co. of Chicago,
the conference voted To appoint a
sitting committee" to study market
ing needs that can be met. with a
view to improving the work now be-
Ing done by the Government, States
and private agencies and report rec
Ommenda tionS
AS a result of the general discus
sion, the conference adjourned its
morning session by adopting pro-
rosal to appoint a permanent commit.
tee 10 attain data on the purchasing
power of the public classified by in
come and location as the most feasible
solution OF the problem of distributing
goods.