Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-15
Legislatures Urged
To Fight Monopolies
TO the Editor Of The star:

AZ Tic G1ultuI VI Lac ObaA.
The Supreme Court has recently
heard arguments in case which VII
test the validity Of a law passed by tn
State Of New York rhich prohibits the
sale ri eyeglasses In any store where
an optometrist Is not present.
The 1o-cent stores have been selling
eyeglasses; they have recognized the
fact that, with advancing age. the eye
sight Of practically all persons deteri.
crates along certain well recognized
optical principles, and they have placed
upon the market eyeglasses constructed
along those well recognized principles
and designed TO correct defective vision
of varying types: have, upon my
desk, two pairs of glasses one bought
at a cost of Is cents from the 10-cenl
store, and the other secured at a cost
of about $40 from an optometrtst. The
| 10-cent stores glasses find TO be fai
superior, as far as relief from eyeStrair
Is concerned, to the $40 glasses. The
possibility Of purchasing these glasses
at a small cost has been a godsend tc
thousands of poor people, who coule
not afford to purchase the high-prtcec
article, and who otherwise would have
had to 60 without glasses.
The passage of the law was, theo.
retically, designed for the protection Of
the public. Practically. It's operation !:
to tax the public for the benefit Of the
optometrists.
It is the purpose of this letter II
direct your attention to the widespread
tendency, upon the part Of specia
| groups, to secure the enactment Of
| legislation under the plea that 1t Il
for the benefit and protection Of the
| public, when, as matter of fact, 1t Is
| intended to create a monopoly in favor
OF the group fathering the legislation
| The Congress of 1927-l928 passed an
| employers liability law, for the District
of Columbia. They included in 1t:
! operation, stenographers In offices hav-
ing but single employe. 1t Is doubtful
whether any person of this class has
ever been injured in the line Of his, OF
her, employment in the District OF
Columbia, and yet the people OF the
District are being forced to pay thou
sandss OF dollars to give a protection
that is not needed. I have a single
employe In my office. The annual
charge under the employers liability
law Is Sill; 81 OF this is for the cost
Of the insurance, and $40 for what the
that Is to say, $40 is the insurance
company's charge for handling tn:
insurance, and 81 Is the cost OF the
insurance.
Next week the Commissioners OF the
District of Columbia are to consider
whether they will amend the regula'
tons to require persons having electric
refrigerators, etc, to pay an Inspector
fee. when these appliances are installed
It is clear that if the device merely
| plugs in, like many other electrical ap-
! planes, there is no reason whatever
! for subjecting the householder TO the
| cost of an inspection fee.
The last session of Congress had be-
fore 1t proposed bill to license rea
estate dealers, and to create a rea
estate commission which would see thai
no unethical practices were INDUCED ir
by the persons licensed. Theoretically
| the act is for the protection OF the
public. Practically, 1t operates either
to drive the small fellow out of business
| or else to force him to work as
subordinate, and, consequently. to share
| his earnings with the man who ha:
arrived" and who can afford to pay
| the license fees provided by the act.
Recent sessions Of Congress have
| witnessed the attempt, upon the par
| Of the medical profession, to restrict
| the operators Of Christian Scientist!
and osteopaths. Theoretically, this j:
for the benefit Of the public. but thu
countless thousands who have beer
benefited by Christian Science ant
osteopathy know that, practically, i
| aims to force them into the hands o.
| the M. DIS. Only the person OF SINAI
| means, who, under modern n1edlca
| practice. Is sent from specialist TO spe'
cialist, with each making his guess ane
| taking his toll, can appreciate how un'
| fortunate it would be for these source:
of help to be denied to the public.
Another serious phase of the matte1
| is the extent to which the passage o
| legislation of this sort closes the doc
of opportunity to the young men ant
Young women Of the Nation who seel
| to find their niche in the worlds work
| after they finish school. and turn, Will
high-hearted enthusiasm. toward thei
life's work. It is a shock to them T
find that the labor unions have restrict
ed the number Of apprentices in tn
| various trades that the restauran
| business Is in the hands of one racia
group: that the fruit business is in tn
hands of another racial group; tina
the theatrical and amusements field !
| in the hands of still another racia
group, and that the selflshnesS of thos
that have gone before them has sue
ceeded In bringing about the paSsag
of these various laws, to which hav
referred, so that, no matter which wa
they turn, they find that they must b
prepared to produce a considerabl
license, in order to engage in almoS
any kind of business. They can clerk
soda water at a drug store fountain
without a license, and that is about al
and yet we wonder at the increase O
crime among the youth of the Natior
1t Is high time for Congress, and a
other legislative bodies, to scrutinizt
with great care, legislation whicl
hampers man in engaging in business
and when it Is found that legislation
being fathered by group In behalf Q
whom the proposed legislation wi
create a monopoly, the legislation shoul
be refused, as a matter of principle.
| FRANK G. CAMPBELL.