Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-18
ADVERTISERS HIT
LAWS CONTRARY
TOPURE FOOD ACT
National Association ConVen'
ton Condemns Prohibitory
State Ruling.
AGRICULTURAL RELIEF
DISCUSSED AT SESSION
Billy B. Van Advises Group to
Adopt Robinson Crusoe
Policy.

The practice of certain States in
penalizing manufacturers in connection
with national advertising, under State
laws contrary to the Federal pure-food
laws, was condemned today by the As
ISOLATION Of National Advertisers at the
concluding session of its twenty second
annual meeting at the Wardman Park
Hotel.
A resolution adopted by the national
advertisers reads:
Whereas certain States have enacted
legislation penaliZing certain manufac-
turers If they should name in their ad-
Vertising the ingredients of which their
product or products are made, and
Whereas such legislation prevents
manufacturers from telling the COM
plete story of their product;
Therefore be it resolved, That such
legislation, in the opinion of the Asso-
citation of National Advertisers, should
be condemned as unjust and discrini
natory.''
Decline to Name State.
Although a sharp discussion centered
on the resolution behind closed doors,
officers of the association refused to re-
veal at which State the condemnatory
action was aimed as we'll as the prod
ucts affected by the legislation.
Agricultural relief was the subject of
. general discussion at the final ses-
sion. Frederick E. Murphy, publisher
of the Minneapolis Tribune, urged that
advertising agencies make the same
study of agriculture as they do of in
dustry and its allied problems.
AS an example of some of the all
ments with which agriculture is aff1ict-
ed, Mr.. Murphy declared survey has
revealed that 100000 cattle out of a
total of q 100000 aress!lon-producing
ard inefficient These 5000 900 cat
tie, he said, are eating more than they
produce" and constitute one of the
many burdens the farmer is bearing.
Hits Philippine Imports.
Congress should stop the importation
of cocoanut oil and sugar from the
Philippines, MIR. Murphy said, declaring
American farmers and American pro-
ducers are being compelled to compete
with cheap Oriental labor"
Other speakers at the concluding ses-
zion were Charles L. Low, president OF
the Charles L. Low Co., Inc, who dis
cursed the prcpet sense Of proportion in
ti.c Use of advertising, and Billy B.
Van, former actor. and president OF the
I.ne Tree Products Co.
van, whose health forced him from
thu stage into business, advises the adj
vertisers to read Robinson Crusoe" and
find out how to better business.
Van recounted the story Of Robinson
Crusoe's misfoftuneS and said "he
adapted himself to- conditions; found
a way to survive and also found
Friday"
"There are lots of Fridays standing
around waiting to help you If you will
dust look them up Van asserted.
He told of steps taken in his home
community of Newport, N. H., to meet
changing conditions.
A mill which once made textile
bobbins, now makes lollypop sticks;
another which manufactured horse
blankets makes snow suits for children;
one which manufactured shoe lasts
sells cheese by mail, and another which
once specialized in cotton underwear
for women now sells top coats to cake
eaters"
Van said his concern periodically
gives to employees IS prosperity
checks" which must have 80 endorse
ments before they would be honored at
the bank, so that each SIS had the effect
of putting $50 into circulation.
r. F. Driscoll of Chicago and Ben
nett Chapple of MiddletoWn, Ohio, de-
scribed plans for the Chicago World
Fair. in which the association may have
an exhibit.
Radio Problems Reviewed.
o.. Problems of national radio advertis-
ing and the possibilities of television
were reviewed at dinner session last
night presided over by Kenyon Steven
son of the Armstrong Cork Co. and
chairman Of the associations Govern
ing Committee of the Cooperative
Analysis of Broadcasting.
While the excessive cost of radio tall
ert, which puts firSt-class programs be-
yond the reach of many business firms,
was deprecated, televlsion was declared
70 offer virtually nothing as an adver-
Using medium in its present stage of
development. Edgar H. Felix, radio
consultant and author of "Television,"
pointed out that the same disadvan-
tage applies to television as a medium
Of entertainment.
The finest television outfit produced
TODAY has only IAN information value
to the eye equivalent to that contributed
by one-inch square newsprint half
tone Mr.. Felix went on to explain
Benjamin Soby, sales promotion
manager of the Westinghouse radio
stations, addressed the meeting and ex-
planned how radio station has success
fully adapted the A. N. A. Crossley
method
No report was rendered at the con-
.'ention on the progress of the associa-
tim in applying this method which, was
worked out as result of an exhaustive
survey of radio advertising programs
1t is understood, however, about 4G
companies are adhering to it. Elimina-
ton of lengthy advertising repetttions
Is enc Of its main objects.