YOUR DOLLAR
Union, Consumers
Your Dollar By CONSUMERS UNION "ALMOST everything that could be wrong was wrong," reports Consumers Union after testing 26 brands of work shirts. Though these shirts— the uniform of America's...
...Another Lee shirt, at $1.29, was found Not Accepts able because of skimping in length, sleeves, yoke, and collar...
...Grade labeling does these things...
...Nu Steel, 50e...
...But in addition, try the shirt on and make sure it is not uncomfortably skimped...
...5. Grade labeling is good American...
...Chemical tests were also performed...
...Aluminum Cleaners Steel wool, the kitchen standby for cleaning aluminum, is hard to find...
...Consumers Union has tested 39 brands of aluminum cleansers, and states in the current issue of Consumer Reports that some of them provide a satisfactory substitute for steel wool...
...Osh Kosh B'Gosh, $1.39...
...But thousands of tests by CU have shown that brand names are wholly unreliable...
...Sturdy Oak Cat...
...Advertisers- tell us that we can depend on the brand name...
...Though these shirts— the uniform of America's production army—have to take more strain than dress shirts, many are skimped in length, across the chest, and at the yoke and arm-holes...
...The 26 brands are rated in the current issue of Consumer Reports...
...Businessmen want to know what they're buying...
...Grade Labeling The Saturday Evening Post, the Hearst papers, and many big advertisers say that American industry and the American way of life would be threatened if products were grade labeled to show their true quality, observes CU in answering an attack on grade labeling which appeared in a recent issue of the Saturday Evening Post...
...A-Lum-GUm, 47c...
...Here are some of the facts which papers like the Satevepost try to conceal: 1. Brand names are no guarantee of quality...
...In tests of canned goods carried on for CU by government graders, the Bij» Three, Del Monte, Libby, and Heinz, got more B and C scores than, they did A seores...
...Here are the brands which CU found most effective: Household Institute, 9c...
...But others are useless, damaging, and even dangerous...
...In CU's tests of men's shoes, advertised brands got both good and bad scores...
...CU testers simulated actual kitchen conditions by testing the cleansers on a polished aluminum surface, which had been burned with a mixture of flour and grease...
...3180 (Montgomery Ward) 85c plus postage, Lee, $1.55...
...Lopeco, 35c...
...To take its place, you are offered a wide variety of substitute cleansers...
...3054 (Montgomery Ward) $1.15 plus postage...
...The very same product which comes to you marked "Super-Delicious" may have been described as "Grade C" on the wholesalers' invoice...
...Advertisers now have little incentive to improve the quality of their products...
...Anything which promotes honesty, fair dealing, and improved living standards is good American...
...Uncle Sam, $1.38...
...Anything which promotes fair competition and restrains monopoly is good American...
...Big advertisers fall back on this kind of flag waving because they can't afford to discuss the real issues in the fight for grade labeling, says Consumers Union...
...Club, 39c...
...Your Dollar By CONSUMERS UNION "ALMOST everything that could be wrong was wrong," reports Consumers Union after testing 26 brands of work shirts...
...Examine carefully for well made buttonholes, secure seams, and bartacking at points of strain...
...Nine models in all, most of them put out by leading work shirt manufacturers, were found Not Acceptable...
...Look for a "sanforized" label or other written guarantee against shrinkage when you buy, advises CU...
...2. Grades are used in business transactions...
...Kay-Tee, available in some co-op stores, 15c...
...3. Grade labeling would result in higher quality goods...
...In Canada, which has had grade labeling for years, both are still going strong...
...In CU's unbiased tests of towels and of men's shirts, for example, the most advertised brands were below average in quality...
...Silver polishes were found as a rule too mild to do the job, and the two plastic pads CU tested, Kleen-Up and Plas-Ti-Pad, were so harsh that they left deep scratches on the aluminum...
...Price control has not kept work shirts from going up 12 per cent in price since the Summer of 1942, nor fyas OPA prevented the steady worsening of quality, which CU now estimates is 20 per cent lower than in 1942...
...Homesteader Cat...
...U. Grade labeling would not end brand labeling or advertising...
...If the quality w:re shown on the can, the manufacturer would have a real incentive to improve it...
...It's simpler to invent new advertising slogans...
...645 (Sears Roebuck) 89c plus postage...
...Par-Val (W...
...T. Grant Stores) $1...
...The cheapest brand tested, Household Institute, also turned out to be one of the best...
...Among the best, in order of quality, were: Super Pioneer Cat...
Vol. 8 • April 1944 • No. 14
