ZIM PULLS WIRES TO SWITCH INVESTIGATION OF CONCERN HE HEADS
Revell, Aldric
Zim Pulls Wires to Switch Investigation of Concern He Heads By ALDRIC REVELL SECRETARY OF STATE Fred R. Zimmerman has used his influence as a state official to block partially a state...
...Orchard admitted, however, that Zimmerman's action had "taken the pressure" off the Better Industries Inc...
...Zimmerman went to Atty...
...7, 1940 at which 24 witnesses testified against the practices of these two companies as well as others in the same business...
...On the basis of evidence presented at the Milwaukee hearing, Orchard scheduled a specific hearing to take testimony concerning Better Proper-tis Inc...
...a state-wide investigation be made of the entire industry...
...Orchard told The Capital Times today that as far as he was concerned he would continue the investigation regardless of whether Zimmerman was president of one of the firms or not...
...According to Orchard, complaints reveal that the use of cheap materials, misrepresentation and illegal business practices were commonly indulged in by certain of the improvement companies...
...counsel for both companies, and asked that instead of holding a hearing specifically on business practices of the two companies...
...It was Orchard's intention to investigate the practices of all remodeling concerns and issue a general order covering the entire industry...
...Upon Zimmerman's plea, the hearing then was changed into a general one to investigate the practices of all remodeling firms in the state...
...Following complaints by the Better Business bureau of Milwaukee in December 1939 against Better Properties, Inc...
...I. E. Dinerstein...
...Another practice, Orchard said, was to get a customer to sign a contract to pay for a job of remodeling in three years and then turn the contract over to a finance company, making the customer pay high interest...
...9 to investigate the company...
...Gen John E. Martin and asked that the hearing be postponed for 10 days, and Martin called Orchard, who is technically in his department, and requested Orchard to postpone the hearing...
...He said some of the companies would tell a customer his home had been chosen as a model one and the company would shingle the building and that if as a result other homes in the neighborhood followed the example the customer would get a commission on each such house...
...for the time being since Instead of just investigating that company and the Midland Improvement firm, all such firms were to be investigated...
...Orchard agreed to do this, since testimony of witnesses at previous hearings, and complaints from other sections of the state, revealed that other companies had been charged with similar unfair practices...
...Following complaints against Better Properties...
...Before the 10 days were up, Zimmerman presented himself at Orchard's office, together with Atty...
...Orchard said that one of the witnesses at the Milwaukee hearing had testified that Zimmerman's name was used as president of the concern as a selling point to assure customers that the concern was a good one...
...Inc., the state department of agriculture, which is charged with regulating trade practices, scheduled a specific hearing Apr...
...Zim Pulls Wires to Switch Investigation of Concern He Heads By ALDRIC REVELL SECRETARY OF STATE Fred R. Zimmerman has used his influence as a state official to block partially a state investigation into the business practices of Better Properties, Inc., Milwaukee, remodeling concern of which he is president, The Progressive learned last week...
...and Midland Improvement Co., Milwaukee, R. M. Orchard, counsel for the department of agriculture, held a hearing in Milwaukee Feb...
...and Midland Improvement Co...
Vol. 10 • June 1940 • No. 23
