National Association of Advertisers ' Clubs; 89 thenational associ
ations formed in different lines of business; boards of health and
health officers; protective bureaus and vigilance committees; bureaus of weights and measures; 90 voluntary associations of local merchants; penal laws in nearly a score of states making
intentionally false or misleading advertising a misdemeanor ; 91 legislation preventing disguised advertising and requiring that the word “ advertisement” be printed with all reading matter for which money or other valuable consideration is paid ,accepted , or promised ; laws preventing the advertisements of lotteries ; the consideration of laws to prevent the advertisement of real
estate where offers are made of prizes, gifts, rewards, distinctions, or puzzle methods are used ; laws forbidding the advertisement of
liquor in newspapers printed or sold in states that prohibited the manufacture or sale of intoxicating liquor; government prosecu tion of those who violate the laws; decisions of courts upholding the legality of laws restraining advertising, as also decisions affirming the right of a newspaper to decline an advertisement
deemed objectionable, even if submitted under a yearly contract; the publication of books like The Clarion showing the iniquity of fake advertisements ; the establishment by newspapers ofbureaus to report fraudulent or misleading advertisements ; the investi gation of advertisements that seem to demand legal attention , as
of " pure silk ” ties and " gold mesh ” bags, all this is but a 89 At its annual meeting in 1914 , its 11,000 members made a plea for “ truth in advertising," and urged newspapers to reject fraudulent advertise ments, to state their circulation truthfully , to maintain their advertising
rates as published , to combat discounts, and to oppose free publicity . 90 One Bureau began an interesting campaign against fraudulent advertis ing with the double object of teaching the consumer how to detect such advertisement and of getting advertisers to give up misrepresentations. New York Evening Post, August 29, 1914 . 91 That this law is not a dead letter is indicated by the recent fine of $ 250
imposed on a prominent merchant for violating it. - New York Tribune, August 24, 1918.
A clothing corporation was fined $ 150 for inserting a misleading adver tisement in the newspapers. - New York Tribune, December 30, 1921. It is, however, sometimes difficult to enforce the law . In October, 1917,
five hundred and twenty -three mechanics went from Newark, New Jersey, and the vicinity to Baltimore in reply to an advertisement that seven hundred and twenty men were wanted there . Each paid $ 3 .00 to the agent, and his railroad fare , but the advertisement proved a hoax. Although every effort was made to locate the agent, it was apparently impossible to do so .
