Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-03

Once or twice a year the Federal
Trade Commission crashes into first
page news with a far-reaching order
affecting some great industry, such as
the commissions recent decision dl-
rected against the Famous Players
Lasky, charging restraint of competl-
ton in the motion picture field, or its
prospective inquiry into the af1ilia-
lions of United States Steel. the
du Points and General Motors. Most
of the time, however, the commission
receives it's only publicity from the
hands of it's critics. 1t is assailed on
the one hand for alleged meddlesome
and unwarranted harassment or big
business" and on the other hand
charged with laxity and futility. 1t Is
pictured as either too aggressive or
too passive, according to the view
point. The fact that the commission
is the great present-day Government
agency in stamping out fraudulent
trade practices designed to mulct the
public; that crooks and interruptions
manufacturers and merchants are go
ing out of business or mending their
WAYS in the face Of an unrelenting
campaign being waged against them
by the commission, receives no public
attention whatever.
u X X X
Since it's creation a dozen years ago,
the commission has instituted more
than 1000 investigations of alleged
"deceptions" and false or unfair bust
ness methods designed to beat" either
a competitor or the public, or both.
More than 1000 such cases have
reached the Replication for COM
plant" stage; 1900 formal complaints
have been filed, and 500 or so formal
desist" Many Of the cases have been
dropped because the concerns quit
business or because they voluntarily
entered into "stipulations" with the
commission to abandon the business
methods complained Of. AS to the 800
or more formal orders to "cease and
desist," more than three-quarters have
been obeyed without any proceedings
in court. In the litigation in the other
cases, instituted either by the commits.
sion to enforce it's orders, or by the
other side to restrain the commission
or to have the order set aside, the re-
suits have been about a $3.50 break.
The commission has won half and lost
half Of the lawsuits.
As a result of the activities Of the
commission in the field of unfair bust
ness methods, "all-Havana" cigars,
rolled from domestic tobacco; "castile"
soap, which contains no olive oil;
good grape" strip, which never
knew a grape; Baltic beaver" furs
Of dyed rabbit skin; platinum finish"
jewelry, without the platinum; Gov
eminent quality" paint, without lead
and oil; Irish" lace, from China, and
dozens of other misbranded products
which deceive the unwary buyer are
becoming scarcer. Advertisements of
from factory to YOU furniture
when the factory is fake: from
mills to wearer" woolens, when the
mills are a myth, are fast disappear
ing.
Some cases coming before the COM
mission have their humorous side.
The commission recently ordered a
nationally known baking powder COM
pany to cease the circulation Of maya
zine and newspaper articles "disparag-
ing the wholesomeness of self-rising
-four" One Of the interesting cases
which went to the courts and which
the commission lost related to the adj
vertising Of famous mattress. The
commission contended that the tradi-
tional picture Of the mattress in this
concerns advertising. depicting the
felt layers at one end enormously ex-
banded, was exaggerated and mislead-
ing and ordered the picture toned
down. The courts decided otherwise
and ruled that a certain amount of
putting" in advertising was not de-
ception.
n
Jay Pierrepont Moffat of the State
Departments foreign service career
corps, who was married last week to
the daughter of Joseph c. Grew, re-
ceived a pleasant wedding gift in the
shape of new diplomatic assignment.
He goes to Switzerland as first secre-
tary n the American legation at