The Detroit times., 1915-01-30
EDITOR TELLS
Why The TIMES
BARS BOOZE ADS
Newspapers Carrying Them Do
Same Work as Bartender,
Says Schermerhorn
SAYS LIQUOR-LED PRESS
CAN'T BE INDEPENDENT
Sociology Class of Lansing
Church Hears New Doctrine
of Fourth Estate

of Fourth Estate
LANSING. Jan. 30.-James Scher-
merhorn. publisher OF The Detroit
Times, told large audience II the
First Baptist church last night why
The Detroit Times Went Dry" The
of the Sociology class.
Mr. Schermerhorn said The Times
went dry" because II wanted TO be
consistent, to be fair and 10 be free.
Refusing all other dishonest advertis-
Ing, The Times had to close its col
umns 20 such fake claims as Beer Is
the true spirit. OF Christmas" "A
case Of beer will insure a happy
Thanksgiving" "Budweiser spells tenn
peIance."
"Budwciser spells temperance just
about as much as divorce spells do
nestle tranquility and safe-cracking
spells kleptomania. IL beer-guzzling
spells temperance, temperance should
stay on the job" said Mr.. Schermer>
horn.
"A newspaper can't be both the
handmaiden Of civilization and a part
OF the selling and distributing end Of
the liquor business. II becomes rather
the bar-maid of the brewer and dis
tiiier. or the procuress for the pot
houses. seeking to secure for the des-
perate trafflc victims to replace those
lost through the Punishment Of the
saloon In four-ffths Of the national
area.
Advertising. to be effective. must
both create and serve desire. The Ia
crease In the consumption OF intoxi-
cants In the United States proves that
newspapers are doing in front Of the
bar what the man In the white apron
IL doing behind the bar.
| ITO profess decency and uplift ed.
itorially and saturate the advertising
columns was as bad as the temper
ance apostle trying to blow the foam
from a charlotte russo.
| The Times went dry, Also" said
the speaker, because II did not care
to take orders from or for the brewers
and the bosses. No politically indie
pendent newspaper can afford to serve
these masters, who are all powerful
with puny little men In politics. With
respect to both the pulpit and press are
too often cftadels Of cowardice. and
for the same reason-they sell space
to public enemies or the business and
political benenciaries of public en-
emies. While praying for good men
They support bad men. and II takes Q
plurality OF ballots-not OF prayers
to elect. Churchmen and publisher
who do not vote and publish as they
pray ought to use the revised version
OF the lament of the wicked king II
Hamlet:
my prayers 60 up. my ballots below
Prayers without ballots never to heav
| en- CO."
Something like infantile paralysis
must be matter with the stamina o!
those church organizations that are
moving against the use OF Abraham
Lincoln's picture in liquor ads. This
In as heroic as the determination OF
the blase youth-warned by his physi
clan that he was the foredoomed vic
tim OF wine, women and song-to give
up singing. These outraged souls
want the liquor advertisers to gfve ar
Lncoln's picture. Why? Il viii new
er hurt the emancipator 20 print hi
picture In liquor ads. He has done
his work and gone to glory, But the
seductive ads. themselves are injurins
the youth whose work n yet to bs
done, and sending them TO the devil!
Being dry The Times II unfetter
ed" said Mr.. Schermerhorn, "and free
to support the men who are as openly
and pronouncedly hostile to the ALI
ance Of booze and bossism. Refusing
to take the copy OF the vets. the pa
per refuses to take the candidates o.
the vets. Once The Times supported
Gov. Ferris when the liquor Interest,"
were against him; II supported hin
once when the vets were with hin
and II didn't know It; It opposed him
the last time when the vets were fol
him and we did know It. Neverthe
less, we are hoping the Schoolmaster
who makes one think Of Pestalozxi 81
presented In the famous statue be
fore the Lnthescher school In Zurich
! Switzerland. may be to all the you'll
Of Michigan In guidance and protec
ton what the tall gaunt schoolmas
ter is symbolized to be In this tender
efigy. II is not enough for Gov. Fer
ris to answer the anxious question
that the old king put to the courieri
returning from the battlefield. rs III
young man Absalom safe?" by saying
"The young men OF Mecosta county
are SAFE" We want him TO extend
his schoolmasterly concern to take II
the youth OF all Michigan. SO that hi
can report. Yes, the young men o.
all the counties of the state-othel
peoples boys and girls--are safe"
Mr.. Schermerhorn gave the womer
a part In the modern version Of Ri
Van Wrinkle III your newspaper
doesn't come home sober. you mus
be the fiery Gretchens TO bid II never
darken your door again! Never mind
II the editorial Old Rip does 60 uT
into the Adskill mountains and drink
OF the schnapps out Of the Jolly Dogs
keg. Let him sink into q 20 years
slumber, while the dry movement
goes marching on. When he comes