The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-05-02
Consumer Notes
Issued Weekly by Consumers
Counsel Division, A. a. A.
Washington, d. c.
"Let's Wine 1t Outw

minds to wipe it out - with ven
geance. Only one thing can stop US
and that's mental sitdown strike-a
kind of SNUG 10th century faith that
things will work themselves out if only |
we don't do anything about it."
So writes Milo Perkins, President of
the Federal Surplus Commodities Cor
poration, U. S. Department of Agri-
culture, in discussing the effects of in
\lustrial unemployment on consump-
Jon. Mr.. Perkins article, Lets Wipe
Outw, appears in the current issue
the CONSUMERS GUIDE.
The term 'surpluses' is simply a
Smug polite name for shocking
amount of under-consumption. During
last December, we virtually reached
the 1929 level of industrial production,
and yet some 10 millions of the unem-
ployed were still with us. No intelli-
gent person can look those figures in
the face and reach the conclusion that
the unemployment problem is going to
solve itself i. {.
Henceforth, we must concentrate on
efficient and business-like methods of
increasing domestic consumption no
matter how much violence it may do to
some of our preconceived notions. We
know how to produce almost anything
but we haven't learned how to dis
tribute such things to the jobless who
ask only the chance to work for them.
We can have full employment in this
country within few years, but we've
got to fight for it. If we slash out at
under-consumption within our own
country as we would at a foreign
enemy, individual initiative and free
enterprise will come into their own as
they never have before. That's the
only way in which we can be sure of
their continuance. That's the only way
] know of to assure a 10Th century
chance of opportunity to youngsters
who are growing up to run the goth
century.
Be Sure It's COlOrfast
It's old-fashioned and useless to try
to set modern dyes on cotton dress
goods with salt or vinegar.
If the color is going to run or fade,
there isn't much you can do about it
in the way of home treatment. Wash
ing the fabric quickly in lukewarm
water with a mild soap is the best
way to prevent running and fading in
cotton.
Better still, when you buy, ask for
fabrics that are guaranteed against
fading. Ksk for labels with the guar
'xhteer 4-X@tO. .washing and >stfr-
light E
What Consumers Want
A group of students employed on a
in Chicago recently asked 10000
housewives whether they were in favor
of standard-sized cans for canned
foods.
A majority, 5,76l, indicated that
they did want standard sized cans. Ap-
proximately 36 percent 3,67O, weren't
interested in standard cans, while S94
consumers, 8 percent, didn't think the
question important.
The Chicago housewives were also
asked whether they wanted labels on
all goods to indicate quality, so that
they could know what they bought
Forty-one percent, or 4,lS4 consumers
said yes. Twelve persent-1 ,2l0-
said it wasn't important. The remain
der, Al percent of those questioned, re-
piled they weren't interested.
Consumers can use market surveys
for their own purposes. From them
they may learn how they go about
buying, and from that information
they can proceed to find out how they
can improve their buying practices
Consumers themselves can conduct
these market surveys themselves on a
small scale. They make interesting
projects for consumer or union study
groups, and they throw light, some
times, on queer buying quirks con
sumers never suspect themselves OF
having.
If you want to know more about
labels, and container sizes of canned
goods, write the Consumers Counsel
Division, Department Of Agriculture
Washington, ID. G.
What Is A Cord OF Wood?
Buying wood by the cord may or
may not get you the same quantity
each time you make a purchase.
There is no legal standard which
holds throughout the United States de-
fining a cord Of wood.
Federal statutes governing the pur-
chase Of wood by the government de-
fine a cord as measuring 1913 cubic
feet. But no federal statute defines a
cord for commercial purchases.
! Some states, counties, and cities
nevertheless, lay down the law on
cords of wood. Where they agree with
the definition suggested by the Nation,
al Bureau Of Standards in its model
:" weights and measures statute, they
require cord to be 1913 cubic feet AT
- least 2 states-Minnesota and North
= Dakota-vary the dimension for sawed
.. and split wood.
Where there is no legal standard
the custom sometimes is to trade il
face cords A face cord is a pile OF
wood feet high, 8 feet long, but the
depth depends on the thickness of thu