Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-30
BUSINESS BUREAUS
AID HIGHER ETHICS
Commissioner Myers Cites
Healthy Trend in Increasing
Demands on Federal Body.

The growth of better business bureaus
and The increasing demands Of bust
ness men for conferences under aus
pieces Of the Federal Trade Commission
TO formulate higher standards of bust
ness ethics form one of the most whole
some trends OF the day, Abram F, Myers.
member Of the Federal Trade COM
mission, declared in an address before
the Washington Better Business Bu-
reau at its annual meeting yesterday in
the National Press Club Auditorium.
Washington business standards. Myers
said, are higher than in any other city
IN the country. so far as he has been
able 70 observe. and Washington bust
ness men as a class, he said. show an
honest desire 10 set the highest posi-
BILE standards TO impress the thousands
of visitors to the National Capital and
TO set model for business men of the
Nation.
Your bureau and my commission, {"
the commissioner said, ARE marching
forward shoulder to shoulder toward a
better day for American business"
Cites Three Reasons.
He predicted continued gains i'll
strength and membership of the better
business bureaus of the Nation for three
TeaSonS-flrSt, because of the influence
Of such bureaus in eleyating the tone
Of business. second. because of their
elimination OF unnecessary waste in
business, and. third. because such bu-
JeauS represent a stand for Self-regula-
ton in business and elimination of IN
necessary interference of Government
in business.
In line with the desire of business
men 10 improve the ethics of their pro-
1eSSion, Myers said. the Federal Trade
Commission has instituted conferences
TO deal with business problems in every
part of the Nation. So many of these
conferences have been requested by
American business men. he said. that
the commission viii not be able to
grant all of the requests, because there
are not enough members OF the COM
mission TO go around
The Better Business Bureau and the
Federal Trade Commission. he declared.
are working together to prevent the
tremendous waste created BIZ the diver
sion of wealth from the guillible citizen
to the pockets of a legion Of "gyp
dealers and other crooks"
The mental distress of the farmer
evidenced by demands for farm relief
legislation, he said. may have been
caused in part by the fact that un-
scrupulous promoters have unloaded
upon the farmers at least Sl00 900, 900
worth of wildcat stock a year. The
American Bankers Association, the
speaker said, has estimated there is an
annual loss to American investors of
81 .400, 600, 600 through fraudulent securi-
ties. and the st. Louis Better Business
Bureau. after careful study. increases
this estimate to between $500, 900, 600
and $4,000 100000 year.
Fails to Regulate Itself.
"a great deal has been said about
shopping, meddlesome Government in
spectors interfering with business"
Commissioner Myers said. Many Of
these complaints have been laid at the
door OF the Federal Trade Commission.
These complaints are gradually being
overcome by demonstrations of the good
faith OF the Government in this con-
nectaon. 1t is great mistake TO assume
that the Government interests itself in
the affairs OF private business for lis
own pleasure The Government is
forced to interfere because of the
failure Of States 10 enforce the laws or
because Of the failure Of business 70.
regulate itself eA-
In this organization, he told the
members Of the bureau, you have the
opportunity to regulate your own busi-
ness SO as 70 prevent the interference
OF the Federal Trade Commission or
any other governmental organization"
Myers was introduced by Joshua
Evans. IT. who presided at yesterdays
meeting The bureau elected 80 new
trustees to serve during the coming
year and received the annual report of
the director, Louis Rothschild, and the
treasurer r. q. Addison, lr.