Coin Machine Journal

THE
4
C OI N M A C H I N E
October, 1933
JOURNAL
& M a n u fa ctu rers a n d ^D istribu tors
in H A R M O N Y
on N E W
Joint Sessions Establish Responsibilities
of Each in New Sales Set-up,
• Following the publication of the
constitution and by-laws of the Na­
tional Association of Coin Operated
Machine Manufacturers, a general
get-together was held Thursday, Oc­
tober 12, in the offices of the asso­
ciation at the Northwest Tower, Chi­
cago. A buffet luncheon was provided
and various manufacturers entered
into the discussion of the new prob­
lems before them under the NR A.
Action on the Coin-Operated Ma­
chine Industry’s Code at Washington
had been temporarily delayed pend­
ing a further study of the Fabricated
Metal Code situation. C. S. Darling,
manager of the association, spent
several days in Washington recently
during which time he attended the
public hearing on the Fabricated
Metal Code. Inasmuch as the Coin­
Operated Machine Industry comes
within the definition of the Fabricated
Metal Code, it would be possible for
this industry to operate under that
code, with the coin-machine people
having their supplementary code and
handling the entire administration of
these codes within the industry.
However, after a full discussion of
Mr. Darling’s report, the members
felt that they should proceed with
their own code and voted to take
steps accordingly.
During the meeting Mr. Darling
announced that a provision of the
Retailers Code which might have
proved seriously damaging to the
Coin Machine Industry had been re­
moved from that code, largely
through the association effort. This
provision had read as follows: “No
member of the retail trade shall pre-
mote or take part in commercial mer­
chandise lotteries or schemes of
chance.” This clause has been taken
out of the latest copy of the Retail­
ers Code, which is now (Oct. 13) in
the hands of Gen. Johnson, for final
approval and forwarding to President
Roosevelt for his signature.
It was previously pointed out in
T h e C oin M a c h in e J o u r n a l that
overlapping clauses of various codes
would command the attention of va­
rious associations. While these over­
lapping interests may cause some dis­
cussion they are only matters of arbi­
tration betwen the various industries
involved. What the operators and
jobbers are primarily interested in is
what the various sections of the man­
ufacturers’ code would have to do
with the merchandising of various
machines.
For instance, Article C is one of
the most important items in the mer-
candising structure of this industry.
In the past, the enthusiasm of the
All Manufacturers, Favor
Anti-Piracy Clause
It has been pointed out by
some of our readers that the
story on anti-piracy clause of
the new N. R. A. code appear­
ing in September COIN M A­
CHINE JOURNAL might be
construed as an editorial inac­
curacy in as much as every
member of the industry pres­
ent at the meeting was heartily
in favor of such a clause. There
was no objection t o . such a
clause and the only explana­
tion for this inadvertence was
due to the fact the meeting was
not open to the press and the
news had been broadcast be­
fore confirmation o f details
was available.
D E A L
new manufacturers particularly to
get machines on the market often led
to overstatements which eventually
amounted to misstatements of facts
regarding construction and installa­
tion of machines. Manufacturers, job­
bers and operators might do well to
study this section carefully.
Section B is another important
clause, probably the most controver­
sial subject we have before us today.
This clause has to do with the imita­
tion of trade marks, trade names,
package, or design in such a manner
as to be called a deception in order
to sell a new product.
'
Section E is also even more em­
phatic in regard to what is known as
piracy. The intentional substantial
copying of the design or construction
of the machine is made a violation of
the code.
Section F if religiously adhered to
will make it possible for manufactur­
ers to enter into such contracts with
a feeling of confidence that they will
not be undersold at a later date.
Another great evil which has run
through this industry for a great
many years is covered under Section
H wherein it is a violation of the code
to. willfully entice away employees of
competitors for various reasons. There
has always been too much selling of
the other man’s ideas by trusted em­
ployees. There will always be some
of this but if the manufacturers who
signed the code live up to the provi­
sions to which they subscribe direct
copying and pilferage of the other
man’s plans in advance and wrecking
of sales organizations will be an ex­
ception rather than a common occur­
rence in the future.
There is nothing in the code that
supplants the functions of the patent
and registration bureaus. However,
in the past ambitious competitors
have been able to take advantage
of the intricate and involved patent
regulations enabling them to profit by
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