Evening star., 1928-05-20
WEIGHTS-MEASURES PARLEY
OPENS IN DISTRICT TUESDAY
Scientific Researches to Pro-
tect Consumers Win Be
Disclosed at Convention.
Taxicab Meters, Gasoline
Pumps and Railroad Scales
in List of Subjects.

Results Of highly scientific researches
designed to protect the producer ana
the consumer from miSrepres entation
and fraud in industry viii be disclosed
at the twenty-first annual national
conference on weights and measures, at
the Bureau of Standards, this week.
Weights and measures officials from
all parts OF the United states viii at
tend the four-day sessions, beginning
Tuesday. The program includes ao-
dresses by Secretary OF Commerce
Hoover, Or. George e. Burgess, DIRECTOR
of the bureau and head of the confer
cnce. and other Government officials.
Technical explanations of lengthy in
vestigations which Viii affect ultimately
the pocketbooks of every citizen, from
the purchaser of household commodities
10 the motorist. the taxicab passenger
and the railroad owner, will feature the
conference.
one of the most important researches
to be reported on is one conducted by
Ralph w. Smith. director OF weights
and measures of the Bureau or STAND
ards, for the purpose OF testing accu-
racy of taxicab meters. Mr.. Smith. Tor
several months, has been checking on
the operation of various types of meters
under different driving conditions, ana
his findings are said to be OF marked
interest. This investigation was author-
ized for the purpose of testing the
efficiency of taXimeters connected 10
the transmission shaft instead OF TO the
front wheel.
Another report will deal with ac-
curacy of devices for dispensing gaso-
line. iuhricating oil and grease. 1t Is
pointed out in this connection that
while a slight error in measurement IN
filing ones automobile tank with EaSo-
line NAV appear relatively unimportant
to each individual, the tremendous size
Of the oil industry in America makes
these apparently small discrepancies
matter of great importance. Millions
Of dollars may hang in the balance
between dealer and consumer unless the
dispensing devices are standardized
perfected and approved.
A description of gigantic but hyper
sensitive master railroad scale installed
by the Bureau Of Standards in the Chi
cago railroad belt for the testing Of rail-
road scales used in the weighing OF
freight cars will be given the confer
ence at the opening session by H. NJ
Roeser of the bureau. Americas an
nual freight revenue total Of 1000 ,000,-
600 is directly concerned in this scale
testing enterprise, it is stated. The new
scale has capacity of 10000 pounds
and its sensitivity is given as zone part
in one million at full load"
DR.. Burgess will open the conference
at 10 o'clock Tuesday morning with a
formal resume of the years activities.
Reports of state delegates and other
weights and measures officials will be
received at this session. Mr. Smith
and Mr. Roeser will give their reports
Tuesday afternoon. Others to speak
Tuesday afternoon are Warren Hem,
engineer OF the Toledo Scale Co. and
Joseph @. Rogers, assistant superin-
tendent of weights and measures for
New Jersey. The first days meetings
will be held at the bureau.
The session Wednesday morning viii
be held at the Raleigh Hotel. Twelfth
street and Pennsylvania avenue. In the
afternoon the delegates viii be taken
on a tour Of the bureau Secretary
Hoover is scheduled to speak Thursday