Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-01

Government officials who decided in
favor of admitting to this country
British magazine which contained
an advertisement of cherry brandy
checked a broadside condemnation
aimed at the port of entry where the
magazine was temporarily excluded.
1t is held generally by the press that
no harm could be done by the adver.
tisement, and that the cutting off Of
foreign publications would uSelessly
deprive American readers of current
literature.
Such silly acts as the official denial
of entry to a London publication be-
cause it contains a liquor advertise
ment," argues the Pittsburgh Gazette
Times. will not improve foreign Opin-
ion of Americans. We can afford to
take a chance on some few people
here being corrupted by the informa-
ton it contains that Il certain brand
| may be bought at a specified place.
True. the prohibition law makes 1t
illegal to advertise anywhere or by
any means the manufacture, sale,
keeping for sale or furnishing of
liquor But common sense rules that
this applies to announcements by
Americans, for Americans, in Ameri
can advertising media. No attention
should be paid to such ads in foreign
publications, and in the past no at
tention has beer paid to them"
ITO apply the law to foreign
magazine containing an advertisement
announcing that some dealer in an
other country sells a certain brand OF
Intoxicating liquor there is absurd"
according to the Duluth Herald, which
contends further: IF that reading
were correct, London Punch. for in
stance couldn't come into this country
/ because its pages are filled with adj
vertisements of whisky. The only
harm those advertisements could do
would he to make the mouths of liquor
| addicts water vainly. because the in
| formation contained in them is use
| less unless the reader takes a trip to
England to take advantage of it. But
| the literally minded bureaucrat prob
ably would bar London Punch because
it's name suggests a potent drink.
| Surely there Is nobody on earth who
| can do more stupid things than a Gov
! eminent official, armed with power,
who reads the law too literally
! y X
| THAT such a plan would aid in pro-
| hibitiOn enforcement is hard to demon
| strate," suggests the Worcester Eve.
ming Gazette, with the further com
ment that lit would rob Americans of
| knowledge of practically all current
European literature. art and science.
| Magazines in Europe. as we'll as here. y
continues the Gazette, ARE supported
| by advertising; the liquor trade in Eu-
rope is legitimate business, and few
| foreign publications are free from the
| advertisement of drinks which the
! Volstead act considers Intoxicating. If
! the mention of liquor is the objection.
the Bible, our existing classical litera-
ture and current American writings
would logically have to be subjected
| to censorship or destruction. The
step seems to have no value as pro-
hibition move. 1t would deny the rec
reation Of accustomed reading to
many, it would affect thousands of
American students and professional
men adversely, and 1t seems slightly
abhorrent to American ideals of un-
hampered educational opportunity or
even of educational liberty"
! Observing that the rule Of reason
will overrule the extreme interpreta-
ton of the law the Philadelphia
Evening Bulletin welcomes the de-
cision that the Nolstead act governs
ONLY advertisements of liquors to be
manufactured or sold in the United
Estates" and states that this ends
a rather ridiculous episode. arising
! from an unwarranted stretching of
the law" The Bulletin directs at
tention to the fact that sales in the
| United States could not conceivably
enter into the expectations OF the ad-
vertisers, because the liquors were
denied entry at American ports. and
| no reputable dealer would assume
| the risk Of an experimental shipment
that would reduce him to the low
level Of a rum runner
]
Not many Americans are going TO
send their money abroad to buy
cherry brandy when they can, IL their
thirst is strong enough. get about all