Evening star., 1927-05-22
WEIGHTS MEETING
: TO OPEN TUESDAY
Plans for Measuring Personal
Service WI. Be
Discussed.

Plans for measuring personal SerV'
fee, such as that rendered by the
laundrymen, the taxi driver, etc. in
terms OF q standard scale approved
under the weights and measures law
are among topics for discussion at the
twentieth annual national conference
on weights and measures, opening
Tuesday at the Bureau of S 1ndards.
Service" must be dispensed and
paid for just as any other com
modify" 1t is pointed out, and the
program provides for consideration
OF proposal that the States generally
include service" under the list OF
commodities to be correctly weighed
and measured, so to speak.
About ESQ delegates from all parts
OF the United States are expected to
attend the conference, which will
continue daily through Thursday.
The detailed program will be an
nounced later. Participating in the
sessions will be Federal. county and
municipal weights and measures Off
cials and representative business in
terests affected by the weights and
measures laws.
Aims of Conference.
The purposes Of the conference. and
its history. are outlined by Ralph w.
Smith of the Bureau Of Standards as
follows:
1.-THE conference originated in 1905.
when representatives of nine States
met at the imitation of the Bureau
of Standards to consider program
of standardized weights and measures.
II was brought out at the first con-
ference that INSCRIPTIONS dealers and
manufacturers were practicing frauds
on their customers because of lack
of legal restraint on their operations,
and it was agreed to hold annual con-
ferences with a view to working out
plans for a model State weights and
measures law.
THE conference has grown rapidly
since that time. and last year more
than 230 delegates attended from %
States and the District of Columbia.
The manufacturers have lent their
full support t" the movement, reaiiZ-
ing that proper laws on weights and
measures are not only a safeguard to
their customers. but a protection to
them against unscrupulous competi-
tors
'W- -.ghts and measures officials not
only see to IL that weighing equip.
nlent gives full weight. but that it
does not give excess weight. They
thus protect both the consumer and
the producer or seller. The whole
program makes for fair competition
in business.
Uniformity of Tolerances.
"a model State Law has been de.
veloped by the conference and adopt
ed, in whole or in part. in many
g ates. 1t has generally stood the
test Of the courts. One court not
long ago however held that the model
law did not apply to services rem
cleaning establishments, slot weighing
devices selling such types of personal
service. The conference. therefore.
favors inclusion in the law of specific
wording to CO 'er this development.
'The conference also is endeavor-
ing to work out various codes of
specifications and tolerances in weight
and measurement, so that manufac-
turers will have an ethical standard
to follow in connection with permiS-
sible errors in quantity. strength of
parts, the character of indication of
such errors that should be indicated
to the customer etc. A uniformity
OF tolerances. in other words, is
AUught.
THE conference has no legal status
and has no power vested in itself to
administer weights and measures
laws. 1t merely investigates the
whole question and makes recon-
mendations based on the best thought
obtainable. 1t is then up to the
States themselves to decide whether
they will follow the recommenda.
tions.'