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AS VIEWED BY OUR WASHINGTON NEWS BUREAU
November 13, 196U
Large-scale consumer protection by govBrnment Is here to stay. Wiser heads among advertisers, broadcasters and manufacturers are doing their homework in advance of the opening of the 89th Congress. The Congress and the White House will, ultimately, judge the consumer protection moves of regulatory agencies and the recommendations of advisors, for necessity, value, and effect on industry.
The old style knock-down, drag-out fighting between exponents of free enterprise and government poke-and-prodders is proving less effective in many cases than the heart to heart talks and mutual compromise. Also, old style individual crusades by legislators. Hill committee or agency will have new coordination at White House level.
The election of President Johnson has given a four-year term to his consumer protection plans. This means four-year terms for his adviser-coordinator, Mrs. Esther Peterson; his Committee on Consumers representing regulatory agencies; and his Consumer Advisory Council, made up of outside experts.
Recent advertising news has shown contrast in new and old approaches in dealing with Mrs. Peterson. In the old tradition, brickbats were hurled by a "Printer's Ink" editorial accusing her of setting consumers against advertisers. AFA president Mark S. Cooper picked up the diatribe in a memo to membership calling for united, effort to have Mrs. Peterson fired.
Mel Hattwick, chairman of the AFA and advertising director of the Continental Oil Co. of Texas, obviously had misgivings about the approach. However, AFA has officially closed ranks behind its president— but had disavowed the scathing trade editorial.
Traditionally, government agency chairmen have returned to industry debate even after personal attack. Football alumnus FTC chairman Paul Rand Dixon took a double dose on AFA and Chamber of Commerce "confrontation" panels here last year. He bulled right back with talks insisting on business self-inprovement or "we'll have to do it for you." This has also been the approach of FCC chairman E. William Henry.
But Mrs. Peterson is a woman. She has promised to uphold the President's credo of protecting and informing the consumer — and doing it with voluntary cooperation of business rather than with strictures. Echoing the President, Mrs. Peterson promises to meet business halfway — and expects it to come the other half.
But she has not promised to talk at meetings of a group that has given her a tongue-lashing at a personal level. So Mrs. Peterson turned down her AFA speaking date of Nov. 7, and graciously accepted the forum of the AAAA in New York on Nov. 11.
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November 16, 1964
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