The Detroit times., 1913-10-03
PUBLICITY CURE
FOR STATE ILLS
URGED BY HELME
Food Commissioner Tells Ad-
crafters That Advertising
Benefits Business
SEGREGATION BAD
AS NICE SOLUTION
DIR. Mcclure Says That Moral
Issue Cannot Be Settled
by Geography

Clean advertising and clean civic
living were the topics Of discussion,
Thursday night before the Adcraft
club In its hrst program and dinner
meeting OF the season. James w.
Helme, state dairy and food commits
sioner, who drew the Montieth pure
advertising bill which became law
Aug 10, discussed the tight of his de-
partment against fakirs and told how
he came to urge the law.
''All the statutes of this character"
he said. are based on the theory that
publicity is wholesome. And 1t is.
Three-fourths of all our political and
governmental Ills would be cured by
honest publicity. Advertising Is just
private business"
With regard to the campaign which
his department is waging In Detroit,
the commissioner declared 1t would
continue as long as he Is In Office.
We propose not only to make those
who are disobeying the law clean up,
but to make them stay clean," he said.
Il have talked to some people who
thought that this was now depart
ment created BY the. last legislature.
We are going 10 Try to keep It IN their
minds httle better In the future.
He also mentioned few particular
instances Of misleading advertising
which had come to his attention and
which he will take to the courts.
DR.. d. z. Mcclure. assistant secre-
tary OF tho state board q health,
speaking on "Adcraft addition" urged
the need Of civic cleanliness as well
as commercial honesty.
"Yhe problems of right living 60
cially," he said, ARE really as simple
as those OF addition. Publicity is only
a higher form Of education. Our fail
ure In addition Is costing the state
commercially $20.000.000 year be-
cause of tuberculosis; $8,000.000 be-
cause of typhoid, and 100000 be-
cause OF smallpox, al Of which are
preventable diseases"
Touching the problem OF vice, he
characterised It a breeder of disease
and declared 1t must be wiped out.
Segregation will not work. You can
not settle q moral issue geographical
ly," he said.
Supt. Verne Washer, Of the parcel
post, who took the place of Post
master Nagel on the program, told OF
the workings of his department and
explained how business men could use
It to better advantage. Mr.. Washer
asserted that the department is run
ming at q profit, and In Detroit 10 TAX
Ing in four dollars for every one
spent.
James Schermerhorn, publisher OF
The Detroit Times, called on for an
imprompt talk, complimented both
Mr.. Helme and DR.. Mcclure on the
splendid work being done by them,
and took the Adcrafters somewhat to
task for not having organized a Wig
ilance committee to render assistance
In the enforcement Of the Montieth
law.
Have we got to the point in our
tight for clean Journalism where we
are nauseated by these things that We
are trying to stop by law?" he asked.
mot until our standards Of business
ethics have reached that point Will
they be annihilated."
L. G. Anderson. representing ON
cials Of the PAnama-Pacific exposition.
spoke briefly. urging the club to start
Ia movement to bring about participa-
ton In the fair BY Michigan In spite
OF the failure Of the legislature TO
make an appropriation for 1t. He
suggested q ship representing the
state and carrying q delegation from
New York to San Francisco by way OF
the canal, stopping at all important
ports.