River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1921-03-24
Regarding Advertising
An Answer to Mr.. Ramer's Article

EQlCOf, ulVeI dis JSU-tldt,
River Falls, Wis.
Dear Sir:
Such articles as the one entitled
Business on War Basis by P. w.
Kramer which appeared in your paper
issued March seventeenth should not
go without an answer.
Too many people are apt to think
that Mr.. Ramer, who speaks so pos
itively is in possession of actual facts,
when in reality his statements were
wholly misleading.
Ii we lived under communistic
form of government a SOFT Of eco
monte Utopia, we would be ready to
accept Mr.. Ramer's theories. But the
danger of such theories lies III the
fact that they sound so exceedingly
plausible. His reasoning is logical
until analysed No one would ct
tempt to prove that society does not
have to pay for advertising just as it
has to pay for craftsmanship or any
other department of merchandising.
Advertising is an economic neces-
sity while we have to pursue our
present system of business. Adver-
Using is absolutely necessary to
move production. Advertising keeps
our factory wheels turning by stimu-
lating demand. The happiness of peo-
pie is founded upon industry. We are
organized to work and we must work
in order to live. Advertising creates
a demand for the things we make. 1t
provides work. Advertising is re-
sponsible for the development of civ.
ilization because it informs the peo-
pie of the things which go to make
their lives richer and better.
1t is part and parcel of our great
business structure. On innumerable
items it reduces cost by stimulating
the demand to the point where the
quantity determines minimum
price, and puts the product into mil
lion homes where without advertising
il would go into those few where the
article had been heard of only by
word of mouth.
Advertising enriches lives by rails
ing the, standard of living. 1t is a
constantly impelling force continually
urging society to better it's conditions
by adding to its comforts. 1t teach
es people to keep clean. 1t inspires
to healthier, richer lives. 1t teaches
comparative values. 1t develops re-
spect for culture. 1t educates the
mass, teaches dietetics. 1t informs
about new arts; new comforts; makes
a mass of literature possible.
Journalism, for instance, is endoW-
ed through advertising. 1t stimu-
lates the arts. It has brought print
ing UP to the highest point of achiev-
ment. 1t has developed the highest
type of merchandising and taken sor-
idness out of competition.
The highest type of civilization has
the highest type of advertising Adj
yertising is an essential to everything
we do. It feeds the starving people
Of Europe. 1t sold our Liberty Bonds.
It teaches thrift. Destroy advertis-
ing and you stop industry. Set So
ciety to work supplying only the ne
eessities people must have and you
automatically throw most Of the peo-
pie out Of work. The washing ma
chine. that boon to womankind, would
still be in the inventors attic if it
were not for advertising.
theoretically, advertising is drain
on society, the same sort OF drair. as
any legitimate overhead expense. II
advertising is wrong, then it is
wrong to make people to want more
than they have. A blow at advertis-
inc is a blow at our business stract-
ure and the time to do without adver-
Using is when we have done away
with our present business structure.
So long as men have to work for
living. just that long must we have
advertising, but no longer; destroy
competition and you destroy the life
Of the community.
Mr.. Raner is theoretically right.
When that tirue cones when people
have only to make the things they
actually require ard no effort need BE-
made to sell Chose things and people
have become so honest that they viii
go into the common storehouse ana
take for themselves just the things
they need; and when we can do with
out merchants and without competit-
len, and without factories and with
out Injuries, then we can DO without
advertising.
Yours very truly,
c. E. Randall.