The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-06-12
DEPRESSING TOPICS
IN THE MAGAZINES.
!. !. = > = = - =

\ correspondent from Montvale. New
Jersey. writing TO a New York news
paper. suggests very pertinent in
lquiry:
MAY / ask the opinion OF your read
ers regarding the crusade now beins
carried on by various periodicals de-
voted 20 women and the home on the
subject 81 better babies" marriage
and kindred subjects? Do the editors
Of these magazines ever stop 10 con-
slider that a large proportion Of their
readers. both male and female. shrink
from opening one OF these allurins
covered periodicals for the reason that
they find therein constant and har-
rowing reminders Of sorrows and dis
appointments SO vital To them that IL
| has required almost superhuman ef-
| fort 10 overcome the memory suffi-
ciently to carry on their life work With
| any degree of success? Gould not this
work bee carried on with less publicity,
with more thoughtful consideration for
those who are striving 10 condone the
mistakes of others. rectify their own,
and overcome their heartaChes?
Not only FOR the reason indicated by
this correspondent. but FOR others. it
would Doe well If editors would abate
the nuisance Of pathology and morbid
psychology in popular MAGAZINES.
There j. a place for these themes, and
that is the columns Of medical publi-
cations, Of which there is an infinite
variety. some Of them finding space for
articles as sensational as the most de-
libeTatcly startling addresses delivered
az wide-open medical conventions.
where declarations are common that
the race is deteriorating, and that the
human being Of a few generations in
the future will be a toothless. hairless
creature. with legs too weak 10 sus-
tain him in a long walk, and that in
three hundred years everybody will he
insane. As people who want 10 read this
sort Of thing can find ii in special pub
lioations. why should it he thrust upon
readers who are looking for recreation
al or practically helpful literature in
popular magaZines?
In addition To the fact that IL is
painful 10 the class OF readers referred
10 by the Montvale correspondent. il
should be excluded because there are
many readers Indifferent To ii and en-
titled To- other things for their money.
Furthermore there are some whom ii
disgusts, and their preferences are
worthy Of consideration. But the great
est objection To forcing this class Of
writing upon a public that does not
seek II is the possibility of deleterious
results by reason Of the power Of sug-
gestion. Ancient Greece prohibited by
law the setting up in public places Of
statues representing deformity and
for the reason that the
Greeks believed in prenatal influence
and did not want coming generations
20 suffer because of lapses from good
taste on the part of producers of art.
often it happens that one can not look |
at a person whose eyes are watery |
without his own eyes becoming suffus-
ed. The mind is most disposed 10 |
by dwelling on cheerful |
things II Is "A shame that the maya
zines should be diverted from their old |
province Of entertainment and histori- |
cal ana literary instruction at the risk |
of increasing the prevalence Of mental |
depression and menacing the vigor of |
coming generations. -Evening Wiscon-
sin.