Automatic World

AUT 0 MAT I C
Six
WO R L 0
Selling Accurate Weight
Mr. Rochestie tells us just what a 100 % scales
operator is He should know as his experience In
the scale field has vested him with authority.
By Barnett B. Rochestie,
Royal Scale Company
"When the public drops money in-
to a machine, they demand a serv-
ice and they are entitled to it. It is
up to the state to see that the pub-
lic receives this service."
This is the cry of nearly all the
officiating supervisors in the De-
partment of Weights and Measures
throughout the country. They are
demanding that scales, as well as
merchandisers give the public a val-
ue for their mon€y. In scales the
value is accurate weight.
We, in the il).dustry, must admit
that any coin controlled machine re-
ceives the maximum of public abuse.
A machine made for household or
store use will never stand public
abuse of mischievious youngsters and
smart half-growns.
To break a
vending machine is considered smart,
just as the knowledge of how to
empty a merchandiser designates t he
wrongdoer as having supernatural
power. To possess the trick of beat-
ing a machine is to be a leader in
his gang.
Locations, which are h-oublesome,
are sometimes rather nnproiitable,
although they may brine; in larg.e
returns. The writer is familiar with
a business in a large city which
seems suitable for vendin~ machine
placement-100 per cent location-
as far as play is concerned, but !lot
a machine is found there now. Or-
cassionally, a new opel'ato ~' will spot
this location and consider himself
lucky. He immediately places his
machines and-then the fun begins.
It may be worth while investigating
the faith of the previous machines
before you put down another red
column to experience.
Locations, good or bad, tough or
respectable, play an important part
in scale opel·ation. A paying loca-
tion is essential. It is also well to
remember that a service must be
rendered. Tough location s may not
always be the choice locations, a l-
though they are getting a large play.
Consider your investment, and the
many service calls. Any old timer
will tell you of his sad experiences.
It is well to remember that scales
are recording instruments, and
should be handled and placed ac-
cordingly. While an operator will
(Continued on Page 7)
•
GREA TER NEW YORK OPER-
ATORS ASSOCIATION
FUNCTIONING
( Continued from page 3)
"The Bronx local has just recently
been organized and has done espe-
cially good work. That county was
in a terrible condition, with rack-
eteers demanding tribute in eevry
section. One gang even went so far
as to make a canvass of every ma-
chine in their district, find out who
the owner was, then formed an or-
ganization and attempted through
threats and intimidations to compel
operators to join their association.
They called the operators together,
showed them that they knew where
the machines were located and
threatened to high jack all machines
unless the operator paid an initia-
tion fee and 50c per week in dues.
If the operator did not appear at
the meeting his home was visited by
four or five gorillas and they told
the operator's wife that unless her
husband appeared at the next meet-
ing she would become a widow.
October, 1932
They actually high jacked several
machines and then resold them to
the same operator.
"When we took control of Bronx
county we immediately turned the
matter over to the district attorney
and had the ring-leaders anfested
and they are now under indictment
for extortion. In another section
we broke up a gang by arresting two
gang leaders who pleaded guilty to
disorderly conduct and were sen-
tenced to prison for six month each.
"The police were also extr€mely
active in the Bronx and attempted
to eliminate all machines by requir-
ing storekeepers to obtain a show
license costing $50.00 each, with no
guarantee that they would be per-
mitted to operate these machines
unmolested if they obtained this
license.
"However, our attorney, Theo-
dore Blatt, succeeded in defeating
everyone of the cases brought in.
A great deal o.f the credit of bl'ing-
ing about the ol'ganization in the
Bronx and eliminating these abuses
is due to the energetic young men,
Sol Wholman and Mac Pearlman.
"The officers of the Brooklyn lo-
cal are: President, D. Baron; first
vice-president, B. Hartnett; second
vice-president, D. Stern; treasurer,
S. Kalson; financial secretary, J.
Weinberg; secretary, J. Tashman .
"The officers of the Bronx local
are: President, Daniel Goodman;
first vice-president, Isidore Levenar;
second vice-president, Martin Katz;
treasurer, Sol W ohlman; financial
secretary, Mac Pearlman; record-
ing secretary, L. Goldberg.
Let me tell you how to make
more money with your ma-
chines. We have all the new
machines in stock ready for de-
livery at the lowest prices.
GOOFY
SCREWY -3-Ring Circus
Silver Star's New Machine
And Many Others
AMERICA'S ONLY WOMAN JOBBER
Mrs. B. Kaufman
Irving Mfg. & Vending Co.
300 Irving Ave.
Brooklyn, N. Y.