The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-17
MENACES MORALS
Woman's Form and
Face as Adver-
Users.
CONNIE RCIALIS M /.
Average Merchant Wants
His Wares to
"Shout."

There has been for several years an
undercurrent of adverse criticism IN re-
gard to the indiscriminate use of wom-
ans form and face, for advertising
purposes. No sooner does a woman
win honor and fame than her highly
colored portrait appears upon the lid of
cigarbox, or is blazoned forth from
those gorgeous billboards that are at
present a menace to good morals. But
what has the criticism amounted to,
and what can we expect it to do, so
long as the advancing column is guard
known as "commercialism," ready if
need be to devour the forces of purity
and refinement, for the sake of flnan-
cial gain?
The average advertiser is rot espe-
cially interested in the beautiful. To
him there is no beauty in anything that
does not stand out, - tell a story" or
shout in some way the perfection of
his wares, writes a contributor to Arts
for America. He pays his money for
gain, not for beauty. The grotesque,
the ill-shapen, or the Venus-lil1e form
represent nothing more than means to
an end. Each is selected in the hope
that it may attract the crowd, and di-
rectly or indirectly call attention to the
wares of the merchant or manufacture
er.
A handsome photograph of hand
some woman is one of the quickest and
surest methods employed by the adj
vertiser. He may have sentiment
enough to refrain from using a portrait
of his own wife or daughter, but he will
not hesitate a moment in selecting a
portrait of the presidents wife Or any
noted woman who is for the time be-
ing, popular enough to attract atten-
ton, and this without regard to the
fact that she may be one of the most
refined and cultured women of the
country, whom he thoroughly respects.
There are so many phases to the
present system of advertising, that it
is time for a serious consideration Of
the subject from all sides. There are
hundreds of convincing arguments that
might be used to illustrate the fact that
the advertisement is oftentimes, more
depraving and demoralizing than the
doubtful goods which it represents. For
instance. If the deadly cigarette is
dangerous in the hands of youth, is it
not ten times more dangerous when ac-
companied by gaudy cigarette pictures
Much of this style of advertising
flourishes under the high-sounding title
of TART advertising" and there are
large firms that make a business of
creating these libels on good taste, in
order to attract the attention of the
populace.
Firms that represent the strength and
integrity of the commercial world
firms who not only have goods to sell,
but a reputation to maintain, seldom
resort to such methods. They have
won the respect of the community day
by day. There has been no blast of
trumpets, no flash of brilliant color eff
fects. but straightforward honesty of
purpose that commando respect. Such
firms are usually among our largest
advertisers. but their advertisements
represent a dignified means of commu-
nication with the public, and secure re-
spectful attention.
There is many woman in public life
who would like to copyright her face
in order to keep it out of advertise
ments, and every one agrees that some
thing should be done to abolish some of
the atrocious and indecent figures that
are used for advertising purposes