The Detroit times., 1914-07-13
IS
RESPONSIBLE
FOR LYING ADS
James SchermerhOrn Fixes the
Blame for Dishonest
Columns
SPEAKS TO CANADIAN
PRESS ASSOCIATION
Dominion Newspaper Men APP
plaud Plea for Decent
Journalism

TORONTO. ont, July 11.-Address-
ing 300 members OF the Canadian
Press Association in he auditorium
OF the King Edward hotel, Friday at
ternoon, James Schermerhorn put the
responsibility OF fraudulent and OF
fensiye newspaper advertising square
ly up TO the publisher. His subject
was, who makes advertising decep-
ton effective
Wires and wheels and dynamos are
inert and useless until energized by
the electric current, Mr. Schermer-
horn said, and the miserable schemes
of the advertising plunderers would
be vain and futile without the power
OF the press The publisher takes the
unlocked white paper with nothing
on II but the tariff and rains black
ink upon it "as fast as the Arabian
trees shed their medicinal gum.
What the printed pages bear as they
fash from the press Is the responsible
iiy of the publisher S With PLATE,
what he has written he has written,
and there Il stands forth in the TEEN
ing pages to witness whether service
or sordidness is the handspring OF
his policy.
Nothing schemeful or deceitful ad-
ver'iser, copy writer, advertising
manager, or agent, can do would eX-
plot the public unless the publisher
places at their disposal the prestige
his newspaper enjoys. He puts the
scoundrel into good society He gives
the fakir fellowship with the hon
est advertiser in his columns BY
accepting the spurious, )the sugges-
tive and the pestilential he becomes
party TO the villainy Of confidence
men ne Is confederate and capper
for these public enemies
The plea that the publisher is an
unwilling accessory Is played out II
is as easy for the business office TO
find out whether the copy is good. as
il is TO find out whether the adver-'
tiser Is good or as possible for the
publisher TO protect the pocketbook,
health and morals Of his readers
against fraudulent advertising. as 1t
is 10 protect the reputation OF citi-
zen against libelous publication in
the news columns. All il requires is
conscience and watchfulness
The publishers proud claim is that
he is an opinion-moulder a public
educator For this he gets a special
postage rate and a seat on the plat
form at peace celebrations. But
while science and philanthropy fight
the white plaguel he permits human
vultures 20 take the last dollar of
tuberculosis victims for alleged cures
that are only CHASTITY mockery
Earnest workers for a better citizen
ship war against whisky and the Gig
arctic, while the publisher Tin too
many cases) seeks TO build up these
denominations by Canvassing for alco-
holic and acrolein victims at the fire.
side.
IL was an outrage Mr.. Schermer.
horn declared, for the postal depart.
ment to hang up the word advertise.
ment' as a danger signal in its col.
umns. II the matter is something
that should be red.ighted and
stunned, ii shouldn't be in the paper
at all. If it is legitimate advertise
ment, IL should not be required 10
carry pest sign; it should be eligible
10 any column on any page. and to
the same type that news and edi.
/ torials are set in. for If IL is a fit
advertisement II will be a public ser
vice to print II, and II should be the
publishers responsibility TO see that
no other kind gets into his columns
Az the close Of his address the Ca.
madam editors arose and cheered Mr.
sehermerhorn, and then adopted
without dissenting vote. the fol
lowing standard of practice for the
canadian Press association
Section A.--Relating to advertising
lnSt Is prohibited under the criminal
code OF canada. Advertising OF any OF
the classes OF articles or medicines re
accepted.
section b. Relating Ia advartising
that iS not prohibited under the Grim
\ maj code Of Canada. but may be con
I sidered Objectionable or undesirable.
/ " rs suggested that members who re-
me the dGslrability from an econ
! oinlc aS wei as moral standpoint. OF
\ keeping their Advertising columns
/ clean ana wholesome and are prepared
1 TO go further u the censoring OF adj
u vertsing copy than the law requires
should refuse TO accept Advertising of
all, or any. % the following classes
/ or articles or medicines.
I L. Medicines or mechanical devices
| that purport in an offensive or eXtrav-
agant way. either 10y illustrations or
! language, TO enlarge the bust" 10
! Improve the figure 10 make the fat
/ thinner or the thin fatter TO restore
hair 90 bald heads 10 change ugly
, compilations into beautiful ones and
/ In general 60 perform any feats that
are impossible or may be dangerous
! This as not intended 60 bar toilet prep.
I aratiOps Of harmless composition OF
J legitimate massage devices that are
\ truthfully advertised
q Any medicine that claims 10 cure
Ndieeascs commonly held Go be incur
able by medicine This rule also bars
Z indirect claims OF cure OF such dis
eases through testimonials or other
wise.
3 Any medical treatment offered
! free
4 g. ANY medicine that is known %
4 contain a habit forming drug ~ the
4 dangerous class
g. Any ertlscment not falling
itself within ntbe prohibition OF these
'Lules. but leading 20 correspondence
Between advertiser and reader in which
/ the principle OF these rules rs violated
s. Any advertisement that contains
a eXtravagant guarantees 81 cure
va Loan shark advertisements ID,
r. ANY sort of text or illustration
/ offensive go good taste. either in char
acter or appearance. This applies "a
/ allthe class of grqtesque, bizarre. ~
horrible pictures and expressions cal'