The Ithaca Journal from Ithaca, New York • 23

Thursday, February 8, 1973 ITHACA JOURNAL 23 It When Is Per Cent Not Per Cent? By HARVEY SCHWARTZ Gannett News Service The charge of the Light Brigade is a quiet stroll compared to the charge of the American shopper, wallet bulging with plastic money on which his Social Security number is usually marked magnetically, typographically, chemically, or magically. Some car rental agencies won't even accept cash anymore. You have to charge at them. Credit is not free. Although most stores deny making a profit on their revolving charge accounts, they all charge something for the privilege of buying now and paying later.

THE AMOUNT they charge, while almost exactly the same in percentage points, can vary drastically when translated into dollars and cents. For example per cent of $500 can be $7.50 at one store, $5 at another and $3.75 at a third. The highest court in New York State said that is legal. State law sets the maximum, in percentage points, businesses are allowed to charge as finance rates on revolving charge accounts. The law does not say how the finance charge is to be Phillips Williams So one store will take per beginning month.

will of rides, you owe one. the figure on what you owe at the end of the month. Others average what you owe every day and base their finance charge on that. Those methods of computing finance charges are called, in the above order, the previous balance method, the closing balance method and the average daily balance method. SAY YOU OWE $500 to a store.

After 10 days you pay $250. Almost all stores charge the legal maximum, per cent per month on balances under $500, for a total of 18 per cent per year. Using the previous balance method, you would be charged per cent of the $500 for 30 days, even though you owed $500 for 10 days and $250 for the next 20 days. The finance charge would be $7.50. Using the average daily balance method, you would be charged per cent of $500 for 10 days and per cent of $250 for 20 days.

The finance charge would be $5. Using the closing balance method, you would be charged per cent of the final amount due, $250. BlandenBillard The finance charge would be $3.75. FOR THE LAST two years New York courts have been handling a group of cases in which some New York City consumers were suing Macy's and several other stores which used the previous balance method. The State Supreme Court decided in June 1971 that Macy's was within the law.

The consumers appealed to the next higher court, the Appellate Division, and, in July 1972, won a decision saying the previous balance method was illegal. Then Macy's appealed to the state's highest court, the Court of Appeals, and won a decision last month saying the previous balance method is legal, even though, from the consumer's point of view, it was "perhaps the least favorable method." The state Attorney General's office became involved in finance charges last year on the side of consumers. A 21-page brief was entered by the attorney general in the major case, Zachary v. R. H.

Macy and Co. It attacked the interpretation of the law brought forth by the department stores. "This grasping, version of the statute, the Attorney General's brief said, "presupposes that the purchaser must pay his entire Kramer Lasker Everybody Wins and Nobody Loses" What Do I Want From You and Mr. and Mrs. Victor E.

Mr. and Mrs. Frank A. Mr. and Mrs.

Samuel J. Phillips Sr. of 526 Madison St. Blanden of Homer announce the Kramer of 128 Salem Drive announce the engagement of engagement of their daughter, announce the engagement of their daughter. Miss Joan Karo Llyn, to Frederick Peter their.

daughter Michele Vicki Elizabeth Phillips, to Jerome Billard, son of Mr. and Mrs. Kramer, to Jerry Ira Lasker of Curtis Williams, son of Mr. and Frederick Billard of McLean. Tulsa.

son of Mr. and Mrs. Mrs. John Henry Williams of Miss Blanden is a 1969 Milton Lasker of New York. Geneva.

graduate of Homer Central High Miss Kramer is a 1964 Miss Phillips is a senior at School and is employed by graduate of Ithaca High School. Ithaca High School. Upstate Medical Center. an alumna of the University of Mr. Williams, a 1972 graduate Mr.

Billard was graduated in Bridgeport, and received a of Geneva High School, i is 1968 from Dryden Central High Master's degree in Language Art employed as a TV technicion. School, in 1970 from OCC and in and Educational Administration 1972 from Murray State from the University of Buffalo. University where he majored in She is with the Hannah School in music. He is employed as an Beverly, Mass. Area at instructor Bennington of instrumental High School, music in Mr.

Urban Lasker received Planning a degree from Bennington, Vt. Michigan State University and Events, An planned. August 18th wedding is Army served as a Artillery. lieutenant He is in the executive U.s. director of the Indian Nations Council of Governments in Today Tulsa.

An August wedding is planned. Presbyterian Church members Dryden Dinner of Births in church. 6:30 p.m. Talk about building program. training in Agriculture, Home Compton, Robert and Sandra Ithaca Junior 4-H leader At Tompkins County Hospital Well-Marriage and 4-H Center.

7:30 p.m. Usher, Rte. 227, Trumansburg, a Ithaca Lecture-discussion daughter, Feb. 6, 1973. by Harrison Salisbury of the New DeBolt, Leonard and Cecelia York Times and Elena Skrjabina McDonald.

R.D. 1, Burdett, a A Well-Marriage Workshop for couples will be of the University of Iowa. daughter, Feb. 6, 1973. held at the Red Cross Chapter House, 201 W.

Days. the Siege of Clinton St. beginning at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13 DuPuy, Robert and Edith Uris Hall auditorium.

Hughes Feb. a and continuing for four successive Mixon, Hall. Cornell, daughter. 6. 1973.

Tuesdays. Ithaca Music Film program Sponsored by the Tompkins County Chapter of at Tompkins County Public Prior, Ronald and Ann Hoff, Cross. Library. for 901 Dryden a son, Feb. 6.

the American Red it will be a growth Requiem a centered approach, using new methods of and 7:30 learning and experiencing to explore ways of 1973. p.m. Open to public free of making a good marriage better. The focus will charge. Open House Set be on thh relationship and not on each other, and ITHACA Marriage and Mr.

and Mrs. Marshall will center on new skills for deepening Freedom, seminar sponsored by Volbrecht will be honored at an communication. Some points covered will be: the National Organization of open house Saturday beginning "How Come I Never Hear You When I'm Women Women's Community at 4 p.m. for their 25th wedding Talking?" Building. Noon and again 7:30 anniversary.

The party is being "Ways of Arguing, Disagreeing etc. SO given for them at their home. 233 Conlon South Lansing, by their four children. Friends and relatives are invited to attend. Neighbors in the News Hawthorn Rebekah Lodge 163 will honor Mrs.

Alva Mack and Mrs. Vera Howland at their meeting Tuesday in the 100F Temple for fifty years of continuous membership. A dish-to-pass dinner at 6:30 p.m. will precede the meeting so bring something special. Meat.

dessert and beverage will be furnished. DDP Pauline Kerns will be making her official visit. SORUCTION CLEARANCE GALLERY 121 BLDG. COR. CAYUGA SENECA TUES.

SAT bill instantly on receipt, or even before, in order to avoid the exaction of finance charges Such a statute might have brought glee to Moliere's Miser or Dicken's Scrooge, but it is difficult to conclude that it was the intent of New York's Legislature The present law regulating finance charges on charge accounts the Retail Installment Sales Act Personal Property Law 413.3 was passed in 1957. Paul S. Shemin, an assistant attorney general involved in the Zachary case, said the attorney general's office did not get involved in cases concerning the previous balance method until recently because "it was not until 1969 that the practices of department stores caught the attention of the public and the attorney general. Attorney General Louis Lefkowitz first sought to have the law amended, Shemin said, and turned to the more time consuming method of litigation when his legislative efforts "met resistance. With the defeat of the Zachary case, which was announced Dec.

28, Philip Weinberg, another assistant attorney general involved in the case, said the office will try to get the law changed by the legislature this term. Hubbard James Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Charles E.

Hubbard of Interlaken announce the engagement of their daughter, Lois Ruth, to Derwood Samuel James, son of Mr. and Mrs. Derwood James, of Lyndonville. Miss Hubbard is a 1969 graduate of the South Seneca Central School and a 1971 graduate of Alfred State College. She is employed as a registered nurse at the Rochester General Hospital.

Mr. James is a 1968 graduate of Lyndonville Central School and attended Massachusetts State University. He is employed at Eastman Kodak. Rochester. A March 24th wedding is being planned.

Workshop Set Get It and of course Vice-Versa" "Keeping All Communication Lines Open." Deepening the Strength of Caring' And the group itself will help decide the things they want to work on. The leader will be Ross Blake. He has had extensive training in counseling both personal and marriage in Albany, Claremont, Sacramento and Syracuse. A graduate of the Onondaga Pastoral Counseling Center he has received special training in transactional analysis from Thomas Harris and Associates author of I'm OK You're OK. There is a fee to defray costs and materials and registration should be made by Feb.

9 at the How Can I Chapter House. Drink it up Drink it down MILK 1b. four-pound half gallons at about american dairy association Charming children taken in familiar surroundings sometimes make the best photographs. Charming Child Photo Contest Now Open If you have a child three years of age or Feb. 20.

The first 30 pictures will be chosen for under, why not enter him or her in the Charming judging. Children of Jaycees are ineligible. Child Photo Contest being sponsored by the Be sure to put your name and address on the Jaycees to benefit the Reconstruction Home. back of the picture and maybe your telephone There will be two $25 savings bonds given, one number in case you have a winner in your for a boy and one for a girl getting the most family. The Children" will be votes.

announced March 9. To enter, send a five by seven picture of your A special photo board displaying the pictures child either in black and white or color to will be in the lobby of the downtown Tompkins Mary Shurger, 413 E. Lincoln Ithaca, before County Trust Co. The Women's Page p.m. Friday Ithaca Lectures on Identity and the Contemporary Woman First Baptist Church.

Role of women in the church. 9:30 a.m. Images and Sex Roles of Women. bring lunch) noon to 2:45 p.m. Dinner.

6:30 p.m. Slide-tape and discussion 'Eve 'n 7:30 p.m. Ithaca Duplicate Bridge. Tin Can. 7:30 p.m.

Ithaca Alcohlics Anonymous. Unitarian Parish House. 8:15 p.m. Montour Falls Vital meeting about building program for 4-H Fairgrounds. 7:30 p.m.

in RuralUrban Center. Pledges needed. Saturday Dryden Bake sale by Grange in Odd Fellows Temple. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Pies. Ithaca Pre-admission orientation for youngsters at Tompkins County Hospital. Conference room 10 a.m. Open to all interested. Van Etten White elephant and bake sale by Girl Scout Troop 563 in fire house from 10 a.m.

to 2 p.m. Hot beverages available. New! gloves for temporary relief of stiff fingers and uncomfortable hands with Honeycomb Comfort Supp-hose gloves give daytime nighttime comfort permit restful sleep through avoidance of painful symptoms, relieve unpleasant tingling feeling. Our Honeycomb Comfort Zone (patent pending) helps keep hand temperature comfortable. We suggest you consult your physician about the benefits Supp-hose gloves can give you.

Made of luxurious and in 2 proportioned sizes. Onesize stretch to fit all. Extra large for the large hand. White or natural. GLOVES, registered STREET FLOOR trademark 10.50.