New-York tribune., 1922-08-11
Young Writers
On Filth Orgy
Says Sumner
Vice CRUSADER Insists ON
Book Censor as Remedy;
Assails Dollar Publishers
for Literary Garbage
Attacks 'sBack Patting''
Way Authors Praise Each
Other a Joke if 1t Wasn't
SO Dangerous, He Asserts

John ). Sumner, secretary of the New
York Society for the suppression of
vice, in an address before the Catholic
Club last night warmly defended the
proposed so-called book censorship. He
attacked the critics Of the plan, de-
nounced psycho-analsis and upbraided d
publishers who import from abroad
literary garbage" which they sell in
limited editions.
AT the moment some Of our younger
writer's, literary infants" Mr.. Sumner
declared, "are in competition to de-
termine which can compress between
the covers OF book of fiction or an
alleged scientific work the maximum
amount of pornography. filth and So
cially destructive instruction Lacking
the ability to be original, they seek
to be shocking and succeed only in
"a thsome. "a writes book and
Of his clique laud it to the
skies. Eeach in turn halls aild adver-
tisos the. other as a genius, something
new and appalling in the literary
armament.
Calls 1t Poor Joke
ut would be huge joke were not
the social consequences so DISASTROUS
Then one of the realists comes in
contact with the law and forthwith
pandemonlum. The prosecuting wit
ness is an ignorant busybody, inappre-
ciative of that art which knows no
law. Excited letters and editorials are
written and published Excitement in
the literary sub-cellar is intense. And
then the offender pays a fine and be-
comes more bitter and conservative"
Mr.. Sumner said that the sole ap-
parent qualification of the subscriber
to limited editions is his willingness to
part with an unusual amount of cash.
He declared that when dollar publish
ers' are called to account their pleas
of extenuation are "screamingly in
genuous."
fortunately" he continued, "there
are evidences Of revulsion from this
orgy Of obscenity. The sooner il is
realized that propriety in public mat
ters, as we'll as in public speech and
conduct is essential to public welfare,
the better for those chiefly concerned.
"A newspaper which gives aid and
comfort to the dirt dishers' is derelict
IN its duty to the. great free body of
American citizenship. The frequent
vociferous squawk about interference
with the freedom of expression when
printed or pictured will go the way of
all senseless catch words.
Calls Law Wise
every sage persons have known for
generations that obscenity in print or
illustration is direct incentive to
vicious thought, word or action. They
have embodied this truism in statutory
law prohibiting traffic in obscene and
filthy publications. 1t is not probable
that civilized people in it's arduous
progress toward a higher plane will
suffer these laws to be ignored or to
go uninforced."
Mr.. Sumner said the proposal for
voluntary submission for revision of
book manuscripts was made originally
by publisher, and that of thirty let
publishers twenty replies were re-
ccived, ten of them favorable to the
plan.
Literature is potent force in
shaping our morals" he declared. "In
recent years home life has broken
down because of SO many outside in
terests. There is no poison warning
on the covers of books and the imprint
of the name Of a responsible publisher
is no guaranty that the contents are
genuine"
Mr.. Sumner said that the various
prohibitory laws for the betterment Of
public morals form the penalty for liv
ing in organized society.
Martin Conboy presided at the meet
ing, which was held at the club build
al Do I'll