Evening star., 1926-10-28

estimate and importance to the values
of life. Results appear to be secured
so easily that we look upon them with
indifference. We take too many things
as a matter of course, when In fact
they have been obtained for us only
as the result Of ages OF effort and
sacrifice. We look at our economic
condition upon which we are abso.
lutely dependent for the comforts and
even the necessaries Of life, and for
getting that it all rests on industry,
thrift and management dismiss 1t
lightly as a matter that does not con-
Germ us. Occasionally our attention
ie directed to our political institutions,
which have been secured for US
through the dislnterested exertion of
generations Of patriotism, and, going
along oblivious to the fact that they
are the sole guarantees OF our rights to
life and liberty, we turn away with
the comforting thought that we can
let some party committe attend to
getting out the vote and that proba-
bly, the Government will run itself
all right anyway. Then perhaps we
are attracted by the buildings erected
for education, or the temples dedi-
Gated to religious worship, and with
out stopping to realize that these arx
the main source of the culture Of So
ciety and the moral and spiritual life
of the people we pass them by as
the concern very largely Of schoolmas-
ferS and clergymen. We have become
so accustomed to the character of our
whole vast and intricate system Of
existence that we do not ordinarily
realize its enormous Importance.
1T seems to me probable that OF
all our economic life the element on
which we are inclined to place too
low an estimate is advertising. When
we come in contact with our great
manufacturing plants. our extensive
systems Of transportation, our enOr-
NOUS breadth Of agriculture, or the
imposing structures Of commerce and
finance, we are forced to gain cer-
tain impression by their very magni
tude, even though we do not stop to
consider all their implications. By
the very size and nature of their ma
terial form they make an appeal to
the senses, even though their import
does not reach the understanding.
But as we turn through the pages OF
the press and the periodicals., as we
catch the flash OF billboards along the
railroads and the highways, all Of
which have become enormous vehicles
of the advertising art, l doubt II we
realize at all the impressive part that
these displays are coming more and
more to play in modern life. Even
the most casual observation, however.
reveals to us thai advertising has be-
come great business. 1t requires for
its maintenance investments of great
amounts of capital. the occupation Of
large areas Of floor space, the employ
ment of an enormous number of peo-
pie, heavy shipments through the
United States mails. wide service by
HA1nThn1n nd nj Of
the printing and paper trades, and the
utmost skill in direction and manage
ment. In it's turnover 1t runs into
hundreds Of millions Of dollars each
year.
Advertising Is Educational.
when we stop to consider the part
which advertising plays in the mod
ern life of production and trade we
see that basically 1t is that Of educa-
tion. 1t informs it's readers Of the
existence and nature of commodities
by explaining the advantages to be de-
rived from their use and creates for
them a wider demand. 1t makes new
thoughts, new desires and new actions.
BY changing the attitude Of mind 1t
changes the material condition Of the
people. Somewhere l have seen
ascribed to Abraham Lincoln the
statement that IN this and like COM
munities public sentiment is every
thing. With public sentiment nothing
can fail; without it nothing can sue
ceed; consequently he who molds pub
lie sentiment goes deeper than he who
enactS statutes or pronounceS de-
CisiOnS. He makes statutes and de-
ciSions possible or impossible to be
executed Advertising creates and
changes this foundation of all popular
action, public sentiment or public
opinion. 1t is the most potent i'll
fluence in adopting and changing the
habits and modes Of life. affecting
what we eat, what we wear and the
work and play of the whole Nation.
Formerly it was an axiom that COM
petition was the life Of trade Under
the methods Of the present day it
would seem to be more appropriate
to say that advertising is the life
of trade.
1.-TWO examples of this influence
have come to me in Il casual way.
While l cannot Vouch for the details,
] believe in their outline they are
substantially correct. One relates to
an American industry that had rather
phenomenal growth and prosperity in
the late eighties and early nineties,
being the foundation of one or two
large fortunes. In it's development 1t
had been a most generous advertiser.
A time came when various concerns
engaged in this line Of manufacturing
were merged and consolidated. There
being no longer any keen competition,
1t was felt that ii was now no longer
necessary to explain to the public the
value Of this product or the superiority
Of one make over another. In order
to save the large expense that had
been made for that purpose, adver-
tising was substantially abandoned.
The inevitable result followed, which
all we'll informed trade quarters now
know would follow. But the value OF
advertising was not so we'll understood
25 or 80 years ago. This concern
soon became almost complete fail
ure AS l recall, it had to be re-
organized, entailing great losses. This
line of trade was later revived under
the direction and counsel of some OF
its old managers. and with the proper
amount of publicity became a success
ful enterprise.
Solved Production Problem.
But let us turn from the unfortu-
nate experience CT the loss that oc-
CURED through lack OF advertising to
an example of gain that was made
through the shrewd application OF this
principle. In somewhat tSPlCdi
American community a concern was
engaged in an industrial enterprise.
It's enploves were not required to be
men of great skill. Oftentimes they
were new arrivals in this country who
had been brought up TO be accustomed
to the meager scale Of living abroad.
Their wants were not large. so that
under the American rate OF wages
they found it possible TO supply them
selves and their families without work
ing anywhere near full time. AS
result, production was low compared
with the number employed and was