Evening star., 1960-01-12
But Chairman
Sees Case Made
For Licensing
BY MIRIAM GUTENBERG
Star STAFF Writer


islation to curb abuses in
Washington's television repair
industry.
After the session. however,
subcommittee Chairman Mat
thews, Democrat Of Florida,
commented, Il think the wit
neSSes made a pretty good case
for the bill. I certainly favor
it."
The opposition to the bill,
which would require licensing
and bonding of television re-
pairmen, was led by Assistant
Corporation Counsel Robert
Kneipp, representing the Dis
trict Commissioners. Mr.. Kneipp
said the Commissioners do not
oppose licensing of television
repairmen but do oppose doing
it through legislation.
Argues Authority Exists
He argued that the Commits
sioners now have the authority
to do everything the bill pro-
vides, except for bonding the
servicemen. He also contended
the inability of the public to
cope with complicated modern
machinery extends to the auto
and watch repair industries
and that, if TV repairmen
were licensed through law,
there also might be a demand
to license garage mechanics
and watch repairmen.
Mr.. Kneipp presented a let
ter from Commissioner Robert
E. Mclaughlin calling the bill
and undesirable.
Several committee members
wanted to know why the Com
missioners have not licensed
and controlled TV repairmen
if they had the authority to
do so. Mr.. Kneipp replied
there had never been any
concerted effort" to get the
Commissioners to license TV
Says Plea Was Made
That answer was promptly
rebutted by Hyman Nussbaum,
counsel for the Television Serv-
ice Association of Metropolitan
Washington. Mr.. Nussbaum
told the subcommittee that as
early as August. 1857, his asso-
citation had appeared before the
Commissioners and pleaded for
enactment of general regula-
tionS in the TV service field,
but nothing came of the plea.
Before Mr.. NuSsbaum and
other witnesses testified, Mr..
Matthews looked around the
crowded committee room and
asked for a show of hands
from the spectators on whether
they favored or opposed the
principles of the legislation.
The count showed that Is
were in favor of the principles
of the bill and IL were opposed.
OF those opposed, Mr.. Matthews
brought out. 10 were connected
with the televiSion industry
and the 18th was Mr.. Kneipp.
The subcommittee heard
from spokesmen from two tele-
vision associations - the one
represented by Mrs. NuSsbaum
and a younger organization
called the Metropolitan Area
Television Association, repre-
sented by James P. Fulford of
Fulford's Colony.
Mr.. Fulford, who said his
association had 81 members
and had been organized about
a year, called the bill unnec-
eSSary and contended it would
not accomplish its intent. He
argued that the number of
complaints received by the
Better Business Bureau could
be reduced to a minimum if
customers would heed warnings
and deal only with reputable
dealers.
He acknowledged, in answer
to questions, that there is a
problem here with unScrupu-
lous dealers in televiSion serv-
icing. But he said it is far less
than it was five years ago, and
80 per cent of the complaints
come from 10 per cent OF the
television service dealers.
Repairs Run $40 a Year
Mr.. Nussbaum gave the sub
committee an idea of the size
Of the television repair industry
when he testified there are
about 100000 TV sets in the
District and that the average
person spends about $40 a year
for repairs. Chairman Mat
thewS later said that he was
stunned to realize that this was
a $40 million business.
Carl Johnston of Carls Mo-
bile Television Shop, a past
president of the association
represented by Mr.. NuSSbaum.
said he had worked for several
years trying to get voluntary
cooperation from reputable TV
in an effort to police
their own industry.
He said many dealers decried
the need for an association
until "the specter of licensing
loomed." Then, he said, the
association represented by Mr..
Fulford was formed mainly 70
fight licensing legislation.
He talked about the 10 per
cent who ransom" sets back
to customers and argued:
This legislation will stop
the fragrant abuses occurring
thousands of times every day.,
A high percentage of these
abuses are fraud but not prov
q hle in court "