Automatic Age

T
he
A
u t o m a t ic
Attacks Unfair
Practices of
Operators
April 22, 1929.
Albany, N.Y.
ear Mr. Lightner:
In the past I have been requested
y many operators and merchants to
6et their constructions tight so as
same will not pay off so liberally.
have always discouraged this prac­
tice because it is so bad fo r the in­
dustry in general.
I advise such
°Perators and merchants that it is
n°t in my power to grant their re­
quest as I do not know how to make
such adjustments, but this statement
they do not believe because they
know o f other operators who have
Iriade such adjustments on their con­
structions. In return I advise them
that it is very bad business judgment
to do so and do everything possible
to point out that honesty pays in
buiness, stressing the fact that hones­
ty in business is not only a moral
tribute to the managers o f business,
but the indication o f intelligence. We
know that any other policy spells
ruin.
It is regretable that some operators
can only see the profits o f today and
do not look forward to the profits
o f the future. The good work o f the
Automatic Age, with the right co­
operation from operators will in time
impress the importance o f honesty,
fair dealing and organization upon
the operators.
The lack o f organization among
operators, I believe, exists simply be­
cause they regard the business as h
racket and apply racket methods in
the management o f their operations.
I believe, Mr. Lightner, that I am
right in saying that the industry is
not conducted as a legitimate busi­
ness, but in the spirit o f a mad specu­
© International Arcade Museum
A
ge
87
lative scramble. The operators resort
almost to the traditional methods o f
the racketeer. The average operator
believes the business belongs as much
to the world o f the midway and the
medicine show as it does to the world
o f big business. Their methods are
devious even when they are not
down-right dishonest. Many do not
feel impelled to deal fairly or tell the
truth, and it is as hard to prevent
most operators from conspiring with
merchants to get extra profits as it
would be to persuade the circus man
to stop short-changing the yokels.
Other businesses have got beyond
the “ public be damned” attitude.
Other people who have something to
sell count on the value o f public
good will. But many operators try
their utmost to make the coin ma­
chine business a racket. They figure
“ Get what you can by whatever
means you can, and trust to luck that
the public will be always gullible.”
W ithout entering into any discus­
sion o f the fundamentally unsound
business o f the industry at present,
my plea is merely that as salesmen
or promoters o f the industry the
operators should try to make it a
little less difficult fo r the players or
public to win when playing coin ma­
chines.
To the racketeering operator I
would say: “ The percentage is with
you. Are you not sport enough to
give the player a break? I f not, you
should not get a play from your fe l­
low man, and you do not deserve
patronage.
Have you ever been
played fo r a sucker? I f not, you will
some day, fo r we are all suckers for
something or other. The day when
you are taken in you will appreciate
how it feels to be a sucker. Then
you will have a different attitude to ­
ward your patrons.”
Yours very truly,
L. C.| GRAHAM .
http://www.arcade-museum.com/