Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-05

ADDRESSING the American Pun
Statler, Mr.. Talbot said mercf
flexible enough to change their
methods and to keep pace with
changing times and habits,
Retailers must be more than
mere order takers, he emphaS-
lied. We in retailing have TOO
many stand-patters. Many have
stopped being innovators and are
concerned only with buying mer-
chandise from the manufacturer
and making it available to the
consumer.
This is a dangerous, unimagi-
native attitude. 1t can cause a
lot of trouble in the years ahead,
not only for the retailer but for
the Nation as a whole.
The tempo of distribution
must be stepped UP now, and
retailing faces q tremendous
challenge because of this. If the
gross national product of around
1892 billion is to continue to rise.
and ! am convinced it will. we
must see to it that retail volume
keeps climbing"
Mr.. Talbot. who also is senior
vice president of Woodward &
Lothrop here, said public rela-
tons people are doing terri
fic lob" in creating interest in
products, but said much more
could be done to help retailers
create new desires,
Merchants Should Back
Every Item. He Says
Merchants have the definite
responsibility OF backing up the
quality. performance and dura-
bihty of every item they sell, he
continued Stores should have
heart and character in order to
keep attracting customers and
advertising should reflect each
stores character, he declared.
1T also is imperative that the
claims of oul advertising copy
are carried out TO the nth de-
gree in the merchandise We sell, >
he added. Don't let your adj
vertisine department become
carried away by trying to be cute.
or overly dramatic.
Watch out for comparison
price advertising that may bring
in more traffic but which in the
long run will harm the store.
Watch those printed words as
carefully as if you were uttering
them yourself.
Public Relations Needs
Seen i'm Racial Problems
Other speakers at the aSso-
cations 18th annual conference
SAID that public relations has
big Job to do in assisting III
solution of the country's racial
and minority problems.
This morning S session directed
attention to the fact that In
dams and Mexlcans in different
parts OF the country. as we'll as
Negroes, find themselves con-
fronted with racial and minority
problems.
Robert L. Gray, public rela-
lions director of the Home Build |
ers' Association of Metropolitan |
Washington. was panel discus
sion chairman on this topic.
John Fischer, superintendent, |
Department of Education. Balti-
more. told the convention his
eloup made no effort to sell the
community on deSegregation IN
the schools
Baltimore as community VAS
prepared 70 accept school m
tegration because it believed N |
the Importance Of improving
community relations, Mr. Fischer
said.
Southern Speaker Urges
Positive Approach
A positive approach to the
school indignation problems must
be taken and public fear over
come through proper public re-
lations. Miss Irene Osborne, di-
rector, Consolidated Community
Organizations, South Regional |
Council, Atlanta. Ga. declared. !
She praised Washington S |
school board for its affirmative
announcements on indignation.
The South has many regions
and no one desegregation solu-
ton can be used as a blanket,
Supt. A D. Albright. Department
OF Education. University Of Ken
lucky, said. The best work can
be done in small groups. he as
serted
Sam Sullivan, columnist, La
redo Tex Times. told the
convention public relations
should tackle the Job OF re-
moving the red ink of intoler-
snce" on the Nations record.
F. H. Sinclair, secretary
manager, All-American Indian
Days, which seeks to improve
relations with Indians. declared |
any attempt to force the racial |
|