Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-12

Continued from First Page)
most impossible ever to forget the
first dirty, obscene picture, and seeing
one, creates an appetite for others.
Therefore. the seller of such literature
is poisoner of our youth, MUIR
derer of purity and q menace to any
decent community. All those who
have conducted the campaign against
this loathsome traffic deserve the
gratitude and unstinted commentator
of every one, particularly of parents
and of those who are old fashioned
enough to believe that purity is still
q virtue"
Bishop William F. Mcdowell of the
Methodist Episcopal Church was an
other who hailed the first conviction
as a step in the right direction. He
went SO far as to declare that the
dealer who uses a public stand to sell
indecent literature ought TO be de-
prived of his right to sell anything"
AS member of the board of trustees
of the American University of this
city, he has been keenly interested
not only in forwa riding of con-
structive program of education, but OF
conserving the character of the youth
of the country, through the building
up. of high ideals.
NdIS sale NrlmP,
Declaring that the Methodist Board
OF Temperance had long sought to
eliminate this form of traffic, Bishop
Mcdowell said it was "a perfect
crime to sell such literature to any
one, old or young There is no more
reason to sell this indecent literature
than it is to sell poisoned meat or any
other kind of spoiled food" he added.
I'm the opinions of Rev. Joseph r.
Sizoo, pastor of the New York Ave-
nne Presbyterian Church, and Rev.
Earle Wiley. pastor of the Vermont
Avenue Christian Church, many of
these magazines are beginning to find
their way to newsstands despite the
vigilance of police, ministers and
others interested in getting rid of
them
aThis is matter of poison in print
ef's ink" said DR.. Wiley. "a very
deadly form of poison that should be
cleaned out of the literature of the
country. It Is intended especially for
children who read these magazines
IN the privacy or secrecy of their
rooms. In that way it is very sub
tie form of poison. Personally, l am
In entire sympathy with any move
meYit to purify printing cannot
call these magazines literature. The
Star has done a fine and splendid
work in this campaign. and it should
be encouraged by every right-think-
Ing person"
Some time ago he personally in
vestigated conditions here with
group of citizens, DR.. Wiley ex-
planned, and while he has not done
so lately, he said he has noticed fire.
uuently Objectionable pictures and
magazines in show windows.
Danger to Youth.
DIR. Sizoo declared a crusade to clean
IN the newsstands was one of the
most essential today. The suggestive
ness carried in such magazines is alb
solutely demoralizing and corrupting,
he said. THE young people are the
ones who get most of them to whom
the salacious nature of such literature
and pictures is most dangerous. There
is no occasion for them to read such
magazines when there is plenty OF
good reading material on all sides.
Il have noticed some of these maya
zines drifting back on the stands de-
spite all the vigilance, and, while ] am
not going around looking for them.
one cannot help seeing the vulgar dis
plays"
Rev. William s. Abernethy of the
First Baptist Church declared, indig-
nantly, that these magazines ought
to be driven off the newsstands." He
added that he had reasons to believe
that lot of young people are reading
them every day.
II am sure The Star and the police
will get the active cooperation of all
the ministers in Washington in any
campaign to keep this stuff off the
stands" he said.
While the District attorneys Office
believes that police vigilance has sue
ceeded in barring most of these pic
lures and publications from the
stands. 1t is realized that the boot
leggers" who sell and distribute the
worst pictures to young boys are the
hardest to catch in the police net.
Some of these persons have succeeded
In working up a regular and growing
clientele.
In New York City yesterday an i'm
portant victory in the exposure of
pornogra phic picture publications was
won when the publishers of 90 of
the art" magazines met and agreed
to eliminate all except four or FIVE
publications. which promised to make
them decent and presentable. The
1nterborouRh News Co, which called
distributor.
that the situation Is indeed serious
and called a meeting today. with all
city commissioners who have control
over pending conce ssions. Mayor
Walker declared that he would enforce
city ordinance forbidding the sale
OF these so-called art" ma gazines.