Evening star., 1939-06-15
Public Cooperation
Urged With Better
Business Bureau
Persons Defrouded Urged
To Help in Prosecutions;
Annual Luncheon Held

Better public cooperation with
the Washington Better Business
Bureau would permit greater prog
ress in fraud prosecutions. DR.. James
A. Nolan, director of the Washing
ton Criminal Justice Association,
said yesterday at the annual lunch
con of the bureau at the Raleigh
Hotel
by vigilance, and its thorough
ness" DR.. Nolan said, "the bureau
is able to prevent many frauds
before they are perpetrated. But
greater progress could be made in
fraud prosecutions if the citizens CO.
operated more closely with the
bureau. This applies particularly
to citizens who have been victimized
by fraud, but who refuse to appear
In court, or to be identified publicly
In an action to prosecute the thiev-
ing operator"
Nearly $50 members and guests
of the organization attended the
luncheon, which marked the begin
ming of the bureaus Goth year of
activity in Washington. Formed in
1920, the bureau now has 234 men,
bers.
DR.. Nolan explained the three
point consumer program of the
bureau, which he described as an
agency through which business
"can accept responsibility for ap-
proved trade practices and eliminate
dishonest operators. The program,
he said, includes promotion of fair
advertising and selling practices,
consumer education in buying and
prosecution and prevention of fraud.
F. P. H. Siddons, chairman Of the
bureau Board of Trustees and Sec
retary of the American Security &
Trust Co., presided at the luncheon.
Claude H. Woodward. managing di-
rector of the bureau, reported on
the activities of the organization.
Edward D. Merrill, president of
the Capital Transit Co.. and John A.
Reilly, president of the Second Ma
tional Bank. were elected new men,
bers of the Board of Trustees at the
luncheon.
The board reelected Mr.. Siddons
as it's chairman for 1939-40. Other
officers are: J. j. Hasley, the Palais
Royal. vice chairman: Y. E. Booker,
Y. E. Booker & Co., treasurer: An
drew Saul, B. F. Saul Co, assistant
treasurer, and R. B. H. Lyon of
Lyon & Lyon, counsel. Mr.. Siddons
also heads the Executive Committee
and James w. Hardey of Woodward
e. Lothrop heads the Merchandise
Advisory Committee.
At the speakers table were Mr.
Woodward. Health Officer George
C. Rutland, Fleming Newbold, busi-
ness manager of The Evening Star:
Lawrence E. Williams, president of
the Washington Board of Trade; Mr..
Hardey, David A. Pine, United
States attorney for the District; Ord
Preston, president of the District of
Columbia Bankers Association and
of the Unnion Trust Co.; Mr.. Book
er, Charles H. March, Federal trade
commissioner; Mrs. Harriet Howe.
American Home Economics Associa-
ton; Mr.. Siddons, Col. David Nc
Coach, District Commissioner; Rob-
ert E. Freer, chairman of the Fed
eral Trade Commission; B. B. Bur-
gunder of S. Kann Sons Co., Vincent
M. Miles, solicitor of the Post Office
Department; Miss Ada Lillian Bush,
chief Of the consumer market Sec
tion, Marketing Research Division,
Bureau of Foreign and Domestic
Commerce; Corporation Counsel Ell
wood Seal, Mr.. Lyon, Edwin L. Davis,
Federal trade commissioner; Mrs.
Walter B. Fry, former president of
the District Congress of Parents and
Teachers; M. R. Allen, United States
Secret Service, and Mr.. Saul.