European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 14, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                I pattern of Sec Estfon by Bill Walker projects editor a american military con Sumers in Europe Are being lied to and deceived in the name of Many Are being sold expensive encyclopedia reference services and education programs under false pre letters from readers and interviews with salespersons and company officials establish a pattern of deception in the Book business that extends from the companies who Market their books in cafes facilities to the of Post salespersons who never go near a military there Are honest Book salespersons in and some arc Selling highly rated products but a two month study of the encyclopedia business including 175 inter views in Europe and the 112 letters from readers and dozens of Telephone interview sessions make it Clear Selling violations Are being committed which make a mockery of Federal Trade commission and military commercial solicitation Stan Dards for the reason for the dishonesty is forces Consumers Are spending about million yearly for reference that Money drives the wheels of a business that reaches from the Mediterranean to the it is a competitive business and the firm that makes the most attractive presenta Tion usually makes the most three cafes concessionaires Ameri Britannica and world Book and seven of Post companies vie for this Busi emerging from a Start and is in depth study of these companies by a four reporter team arc revelations that Many salespersons for the cafes cleared firms and of Post companies misrepresent their the Selling of books to the forces in Europe is largely unregulated de spite directives and review agencies supposedly protecting the 0 some salespersons for Safe cleared companies Are also Selling for of Post companies a conflict that is not Good for the there is no effective background Check for nearly All the salespersons Market ing books to Neucom and there Are no qualifications require meals whatsoever set by cafes for the approximately 100 salespersons who sell in military military finance system rules Are being skirted so allotment payments by serv ice members go from service finance centers to savings accounts in stateside to Book 9 military Consumers Are being Over charged in Many cases for the books one or More of the generally accepted ethical standards of the Book business in the Are being violated almost Dally by companies Selling to Ameri cans in at the same time this Book business is flourishing military librarians Are literally crying for More use of their reference she of finest t he stars and stripes report on the encyclopedia Busi Ness in Europe will be a smear Campaign against the Compa its part of an annual Witch Hunt against encyclopedia those opinions were voiced by representatives of companies marketing books to the american military in Europe during interviews for this series of spokesmen for the firms were almost unanimous in their expectations of the Bob head of Advance Dis said stars and St Pei blasted the Book business when you called Lin april i told Rny wife there a Little Early this he Wigg said the slam at the Book Busi Ness normally comes in the last Stan and stripes i depth report about Selling in including a Section on the Book was published in we Are of the opinion that nobody is really interested in the problems that the people in the Book business said Wolfgang director for the Rich Ards company it Doest make a Story to say there Are As Many Good bust Selling violations Are being committed which make a mockery of commercial solicitation standards for libraries offer checkout service for some sets of encyclopedias and encourage the use of the free books As opposed to an encyclopedia details of the specific unethical naming the individuals and companies and a consumer information and Sel defense Section Are at the heart of this 32 Page report on the Book when military Consumers come face to face with one of the Over 200 Book merchants in the material in this special report May be what is needed to make an honest evaluation of the product and the Good Nesses As bad Durst noted that any report  really have to get to a situation where you say company a is crooked so com Pany and e Are also feel the vast majority of the salesmen Over Here Are honest men doing a Days said John Mason of american Book distributors said there Are per cent positive things about the Book but he was sure that part  get he said his friends had told him he should not talk with stars and stripes reporters because you cant do me any John Rush praised his held enterprises world Book As a Pioneer in consumer he said held enterprises has a strict code of ethics and that deceptive pitches and questionable sales practices Are Rush wanted to know the Start and stripes was going to paint the three pm concessionaire companies with the same Peter Lawrence of encyclopedia Ameri Cana said company policy prohibited him from talking directly with the press that information coming prior to nearly 10 min utes of Telephone conversation about the Bill Walker Book executive Durst As Many Good businesses As Book Fred representative for Grolier which handles the Overall americana operation in said he wanted to see articles that would Point out there Are several Pood Book sets for he said when you hear on the radio dont buy any that puts everybody in the same the sets from the Good companies Are very he his is one of the Good he George Turpin of Britannica worried about the 1973 Stan and report on the Book but he said his own product has no Turpin said he had not been holding his breath waiting for the series to come he said he was telling his salesmen to do what he was going to when it comes just take a two week by the stars and stripes june 1977