Evening star., 1936-11-15
By Lucy Salamanca.

NHOM Jne DeWllQered little DrlOe,
- going out with a shiny new
market basket on her arm, to
the busy executive who, in spite
OF his limited time, wants to be sure
the proper materials are going into
the new home he is building, every one
who shops across a counter can put
down his money without qualm if he
has availed himself of the shopping
experiences of Uncle Sam.
Perhaps, along with hundreds of
thousands of other citizens, you have
not been aware of the fact that the
United States Government stands
ready to aid the retail shopper with
exactly the same efficiency with which
1t prescribes its own purchases. Or you
may have believed that such services
were confined to the purchase of au-
tomobile trucks, let us say, or Army
shoes, for which you have no immedi-
ate need.
Not at all! Even your hosiery in
terests Uncle Sam. And what is more
to the point, he can send you a list
of manufacturers willing to certify"
to certain qualifications that his arti-
sans and scientists have laid down as
requisite of good hosiery. This means
that the manufacturers have them
selves expressed willingness to agree
that the hosiery they sell you across
the counter comes up to Government
specifications as outlined in a pur-
chasable pamphlet printed for just
that purpose and as an aid to every
individual buyer in this country, if
his purchase be that of single pair
of hosiery or contract lots Of such
merchandise.
NOR is this the extent of service
available to the public. Auto
mobile tires, bricks for your new house
or stucco for your garden wall. shoes
for the children or yourself, adding
machines for the Office, paint for your
walls, glassware for your table, sheets
for your bed-whatever item you may
be interested in purchasing, with view
to getting the most for your money in
service, durability, quality, quantity.
veight-or indeed any other attribute
outside of color or style-you can Sc
cure Government specifications for
that article, with list of manufactur-
erS who are ready and eager to give
you a printed guarantee that the
article in question conforms in every
detail to the standards set down by
the Government.
Much has been said and written of
the part played by the Bureau of
Standards in Washington in the pre-
examination of materials the United
States considers purchasing. But lit
tie or nothing has been told of the
similar service offered by the same in
stitution to the consumers of America
that vast army of housewives, busi-
ness men, children or grandparents
who have every right to expect as
fair a return for their quarters, dimes
or dollars, paid across a counter, as
Uncle Sam has to expect fair return
for the tax money he converts into
Government typewriters or public
buildings.
Yet the enormous fund of knowl-
edge the Bureau of Standards accu-
mulateS through the efforts OF its
specialists, its chemists, its laboratory
technicians, its engineers, its physi-
cists, its optometristS, or its mechan-
les, is yours for the asking. At most
you will be charged cents for the
pamphlet containing the information
that will enable you to shop wisely
and we'll, assured of the standardized
excellence of the product you con-
template purchasing.
Established by an act of Congress
approved March 3, 1901, primarily to
serve the United States Government
In a manner that would include the
duties of the old Office of standard
weights and measures of the United
States Coast and Geodetic Survey,
as well as new scientific functions,
the Bureau of Standards discovered
at an early period of its existence
that the information resulting from
Ats research and laboratory tests
could be used with benefit by the vast
majority of its citizens.
True, certain groups interested in
the problems of the consumers-that
Is "over-the-counter" buyers, as dis
tinguished from contract buyers
were inclined to requset from the
bureau services which it was neither
authorized nor able to render, Con-
gress not having seen At to empower
1t to render the services demanded.
However, within the limitations placed
by Congress upon its activities, the
bureau carries on many functions of
direct and determinable service to the
individual buyer.
lust how helpful this service is, can
best be judged by direct example.
Let US consider for moment that
bewildered little bride we spoke about
at the start. She sets out to purchase
new sheets for the spare-room bed.
If she is like the majority of US,
when she has determined that a bed
sheet 'looks all right" or feels all
right" and is the right size so it will
stay tucked in. she buys 1t. Uncle
Sam is no such casual purchaser!
When the Government goes shop
ping it goes armed with all the knowl-
edge q corps of chemists and other
technicians have gathered for the
purpose. The Government says to
the clerk. at the counter: II wish to |
purchase bleached cotton sheets. The