Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-24

steal are unwelcome guests IN the
District of Columbia.
~ Congress has built a bulwark
of effective legislation against
them. The agency authorized TO en-
force Washington'S efficacious weights
and measures law has protected the
public, educated the ignorant and has
sought and punished the guilty.
Last year prosecutions we're instituted
in III cases, and all these defendants
were convicted and punished. 1t Is
doubtful il there is another weights and
measures department in the country
with such a perfect percentage of prose-
cutions They include ice, coal, CASE
line and food dealers as we'll as grocers
and bakers who were detected in at
tempts to "short-change" consumers.
Primarily, however, Supt. George M
Roberts and his assistants do not spe-
ialize in welding the bludgeon of their
power and authority. Rather they seek
to perform educational work along CO.
operative and constructive lines. When
the educational methods fail, they re-
sort to the enforcement weapons pro-
vided by Congress through the courts.
This department does Ont employ sly
tricks or unfair methods. 1t spurns
keyhole detective systems and spying.
It pursues fair and square methods.
nothing more than careless mistakes.
The average District tradesman is hon
est and reliable. But the plea OF negli-
gence is not accepted in many instances,
for those who sell the food which we
consume and the clothes which We wear
are obligated to be careful and cautious
in their operations, to see that they
give 100 cents in weight and measure
for every dollar which they receive:
Washingtonians are aiding in the
campaign to exile the "Shortchanglng
tradesmen from the business population
Of our National Capital. Housewives
and their husbands keep the wires that
bring modern communication to the
District Building hot with information.
Recently q prominent washington
lawyer, whose professional income is
one of the largest in the District, COM
planned to the Department of Weights,
Measures and Markets OF receiving
short measure at certain gasoline sta
ton. He said that he did not care for
the few cents involved, but that Il sim
ply DO not like to be cheated" The same
Is true of thousands Of other Washing
ton motorists.
The District "decoy" car was forth
with sent to this filling station and made
a purchase. This car is QUILTED with
special connections so that the gas"
delivered in a test purchase, instead OF
flowing into the regular supply tank, is
diverted into container and can be
removed and carefully measured after
the car returns to, official headquarters.
In this instance the gasoline supply
purchased was found on careful exanli-
nation to be short. The manager OF
the gasoline station was hailed into court
and fined. The attorney not only wrote
a letter of thanks. but came in person
later to express his appreciation OF the
work done in experimenting the offender.
One Of Washingtons wealthiest bust
ness men some time ago advised Mr..
Reborts that a certain vendor who Wis
tied his home regularly had come under
his suspicion. A District inspector was
sent to this residence and remained
until the dealer delivered an order OF
goods and presented his bill. AS soon
cies were weighed and found short.
This dishonest dealer was subsequently
arrested and fined.
THE District does not wait for COM
plants before making its habitual
investigations, yet valuable information
is sometimes received from surprising
sources 1t is trait of human nature
to resent being cheated. Persons of
high social standing, political station
and financial afiuence put themselves
out to report cases.
For example, one of the highest ON
Gals in the Government service re-
Gently went to considerable trouble to |
secure evidence and report a service |
station which specialized in short /,
measure gasoline" The wife of cabi- |
net member supplied data which proved |
that her iceman did not believe that
''honesty is the best policy"
The maddest man In our Capital City
was leading attorney, who some days
ago was defrauded When he discov-
cred the shortage and returned to the
man from whom he had purchased, the
dealer refused to make the shortage
good When Supt. Roberts received the
complaint, he sent an inspector to in
vestigate the case. The lawyer agreed