The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-08
American Civic Association
BY FREDERIC ! H4SKIN

world on the subjects OF billboards.
II shows how the billboard offends
art, mars the landscape, spells tho
effect of city architecture, Is danger.
Gus TO property and to health and
then proposes model ordinances aud
legislative acts TO suppress II.
The association decided sometime
ago 10 test public sentiment with ref.
erence To billboards. by All experiment
at Niagara Falls. IL distributed To
visitors TO the Falls, on their return
from Goat Island. double post cards.
One was a picture card and the other
question card. The one could be
mailed TO friend and the other was
10 be filed out and mailed to the as.
ISOLATION. The questions We're as 10
whether the visitor noticed the adyer.
Using signs on the Canadian side OF
the gorge. whether their effect was
pleasing or displeasing, and whether
he would be more likely TO buy the
article by having seen the advertise
ment or the replies 50 per cent had
noticed them 10 81 per cent they were
dispensing, and "a per cent replied
they would be more disinclned than
ever TO buy the articles advertised.
one OF the most promising cam.
palgns the association has inausur.
aztec is that against the house fly. The
wonderful moving picture Aim which
was shown all over the United States
last spring. in which the filthy habits
or his flyship were portrayed. was
brought out by this association. Is
was shown in thousands OF moving
picture shows throughout the country,
and In some cities the civic organic
atoms bought the film and showed
1t AT their own expense The film
was made by the leading film maker
OF the world, and the task OF pho.
| tographing the different stages In fly
life was tedious and exacting one.
The association has just begun It's
war The public will be reminded
that the fly is more deadly than tho
snake. and that thousands OF people
die from fly-borne diseases where one
dies from a snake bite.
The mosquito Is another pest upon
which the Civic association has turn
ed its guns. Realizing how much hui
man misery, poverty and woe comes
from malaria and other diseases that
are mosquito-borne, the Civic associ-
alton has published and sent broad
cast a booklet on how to fight the
mosquito. The directions for the
warfare are so simple and yet so Of.
ficacious that II they were carried out
everywhere the mosquito would be
exterminated. With the example at
( Panama OF what the abolition of the
mosquito will do for the public health.
TO say nothing OF the miracles wrought
! in Cuba, the people of the United
I States have abundant grounds for as
sisting the association in its mosquito
warfare.
| In its general policy OF making liv-
| ing conditions for all America better,
and more wholesome, the Civic associ-
alton expouses many causes that must
appeal to every public spirited citi-
: zen II stands for clean streets and
solicits the aid OF every citizen; it al.
vocates germ-free drinking water and
/ is doing what II can TO educate the
I public TO see that economy and health
/ are both on the side of good water;
! IT espouses underground wires for
electric lines and Is striving TO i'm
press the public with the importance
of such program; 1t believes In play
/ grounds for the children and parks
for grown-ups and is lending aid TO
every agency that would bring them
I dDOut, ~ DtllGFtS Wditf-iioHlS litC
/ from filth are essential to public
! health and therefore advocates ade
quate systems OF sewage. Public
comfort stations. garden schools for
! children. grouping Of public build
ings. care of the trees and planting
OF new ones. these are some OF the
planks I'm the platform OF the assocfa.
| ton.
And II has more effective means OF
campaigning for the nublic good than
are usually at the disposal of upllft
workers. It's members are euthu-
static believers In the promotion or
the public welfare. and are moved by
| humanitarian Instincts ii has hun
dreds OF affiliated organizations which
work To- further its purposes; 1t has an
efficient publicity system for COM
handing the public attention and
system of distributing It's literature
where II will count. Thus equipped.
! II expects to do its part toward max.
Ing the ensuing decade the most mo-
mentous In history In the promotion of
the welfare OF all classes and condl.
tions OF society.
Tomorrow-The Constitutional Crises.