Evening star., 1959-12-27
Buyer-BeWare
Warns GIsAH
Over World
Stur's Used-Cor
Expose Sent to
Every Post, Ship

The armed forces are giving
worldwide distribution to The
Stars Buyer Beware" booklet
to protect servicemen from
unscrupulous used-car dealers
when they visit Washington, it
was announced yesterday.
The Armed Forces Police are
handling distribution of $4,000
copies of the booklet for the
Armed Forces Disciplinary
Control Board, which is respon-
sible for the off-base welfare
of service personnel.
1t. Col. Van H. Tanner,
commanding officer Of the
Armed Forces Police in this
area, said the booklet was
being sent to all ships at sea,
to Navy and Air Force installa-
tions throughout the world, to
all Army legal assistance off,
GERS as well as to commands
in this area.
Warning to Visitors
He said the various services
had arranged for worldwide
distribution Ito supply infor-
nation concerning conditions
in the Washington area to all
who are apt to come into this
area as well as to those who
may be asked to give assistance
to those who have suffered
from unethical practices in
purchasing used cars"
He pointed out that. in addi-
ton to about 100000 servicemen
stationed in this area as well
as i'll adjacent areas, as many
as 10000 transient scrvicemen
come here a month. Many Of
these servicemen, he said, have
been influenced to come to
Washington to buy used cars
because Of "over-attractive ad-
vertising."
He reported that armed
forces police have received COM
plants against certain used
car dealers here from service
men stationed all over the
country as we'll as in Europe
and the Caribbean area.
Concerned about used-car
practices here. the Disciplinary
Control Board has devoted it's
last two sessions to exploring
complaints about used-car deal
erS from servicemen.
In an introduction to the
Buyer Beware" booklet for
service distribution, Col. Tan
ner has written:
The series Of articles pre-
pared by Miriam Gutenberg and
published in The Washington
Star represents one of the
finest jobs Of objective report
ing of matters of community
interest that has been accom-
pliShcd in this area in many
years.
Grateful to Author
THE armed forces. as one
OF the major elements in this
community, is deeply grateful
to Miss Gutenberg and The
Star for bringing to public at
tention so effectively an area
in which servicemen as mem
berS of the general public have
been victimized by unscrupu-
louS practices.
1T is to be hoped that re-
medal action by those respon-
Slble for correcting such a situ-
alton will be objective.
Pending effective regulatory
or legislative action, it is urged
that every Serviceman who is
interested in buying a second
hand car familiarize himself
with the contents of these ar
ticleS and consult with either
the armed forces police or the
District licensing authorities
before entering negotiations for
a used car"
Distribution Listed
Col. Tanner announced this
distribution of the booklets
throughout the armed forces:
Fifty-five hundred copies to
the Potomac River Naval Com
mand for further distribution
to all PRNC commands and
activities, to all commandments
OF naval districts in the United
States and overseas and to all
ships at sea.
One thousand copies to the
Provost Marshal, Marine Corps
Basic School, Quantico. Va, to
be used in briefing student Of
flcerS.
Five hundred copies to the
Air Force Judge Advocate for
distribution to all Air Force
JAG officers throughout the
world.
To Legal Officers
Fifteen hundred copies to
the Air Force headquarters
command at Boiling Air Force
Base for further distribution to
all Air Force organizations
throughout the world.
One thousand copies to the
Army Judge Advocate for
worldwide distribution to
Army legal assistance officers
and for the Army JAG School
at Charlottesville. Va, where
future legal assistance officers
are in training.
One thousand copies to An
drewS Air Force Base for dis
trlbution to units there, in
cluding the Air Research and
Development Command.
5000 Copies Here
Five thousand copies to the
District of Washing