The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-02
Committee Of Kansas Newspa-
paper Men in Topeka Today.
Campaign Against Harmful
Advertising in This State.
DR.. CRuMBIHE IS QUESTIONED
Secretary Board of Health
Asked Concerning Foods.
Publishers of State Urged to
Read Three Books.

The movement for cleaner advertis-
ing and the elimination of harmful.
fraudulent and untruthful advertising
that forces itself into Kansas news
papers. oftimes without the knowl-
edge of the editor or publisher, was
given a new impulse today.
1t was begun at the National News
paper conference held at Lawrence
in May by the, appointment of the
following committee by Chairman
Charles p. Scott:
Rich,.rd H. Waldo of New York,
business manager of Good House.
keeping; Frank MacLennan, Topeka
State Journal, and Keith Clevenger,
Osawatomie Graphic.
This committee forthwith presented
the following resolution, designed to
raise the standards of advertising in
Kansas. which resolution was unani-
mously adopted:
Resolved That the publishers at
newspaper conference, in the interests
OF their real patrons, the readers, full
ly as much as in their own favor a bu-
reau of censorship, under the auspices
Of the department of journalism OF
the University of Kansas, in order that
the publishers may have opportunity to
decide, through expert authority upon
doubtful advertising that may be Of
fered." -. <5lrs& ss s
This was followed the next day or
two at the meeting OF the Kansas Edf-
torial association at Manhattan, May
16 last, by President e. E. Kelley of the
Toronto Republican.
One of the first acts of President
Kelley was to appoint committee of
five members Of the association to act
as a board of censorship of advertis-
ing that may recommend certain ac-
ton of exclusion or admission OF
doubtful advertisements which might
be offered to publishers.
This is committee he named: Frank
p. MacLennan. Topeka State Journal.
chairman; Merle Thorpe. dean of school
Keith Clevenger,, Osawatomie Graphic;
Jesse Napier, Newton Kansan-Repub-
lican: w. T. Beck. Holton Recorder.
The members Of this latter COM
mittee were called to meet today, by
the chairman and were guests at noon
at an informal luncheon served In the
State. Journal building.
All the members were present ex-
cept Mr.. Napier: Mrs. l.. T. Flint OF
the School of Journalism representing
and acting for Dean Meri Thorpe. who
Is absent from the state,
The COMMITTEES was in session about
three hours s.f.'rl'~s.ss 80 D..
DR.. S. J. Crumhine was an invited
guest and talked, with the committee
on food and medical advertisements.
The committee adopted the follow
ing resolution:
TT Is the sense of this committee
that every Newspaper p1blfsher of
Kansas should obtain and read the
following books, which may be pro-
cured in paper binding at a nominal
price, from DIR. S. J. Crumbine. secre-
tary Of the state board OF health, To-
Propaganda for Reform !. Proprie-
tary Medicines - ''-sS
'Great American Frauds by Samuel
Hopkins Adams. as
"Nostrums and sQuackery.'
The committee also suggested that
newspaper publishers of Kansas, in
doubt about advertising copy submit the
copy or case to the committee or to L.
T. Flint, secretary, Lawrence, Kan. The
committee will then take expert advice.
investigate and report to the individual
newspaper making the query.
In the opinion of DIR. Crum bine the
head of the list of most harmful nos
trums advertised are those pretending
| to be cures for cancer, consumption
and Bright's disease. Next he placed
those generalized as Lost Manhood
remedies.
Practically all these nostrums have
been subjected to chemical analysis in
the laboratories maintained by the
American Medical Society he said and
| 1t has been found that few or none
have the right to be classed as cures
for the things they pretend to cure.
He classed these nostrums in two
divisions, those which were actually
harmful and those merely deceptive.