The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1935-02-19

lit is generally pictured, it is too often the case
that the facts are not available that could be OF
| fered as proof. For example, the tremendous in
crease in LIQUOR advertising since prohibition re-
peal and the publicity given to this development
has aroused no little concern IN the minds OF the
friends of temperance. Every one recognizes the
power of the newspaper to mold pubic OPINION.
With national press committed to the promotion
! of the sale of alcoholic beverages there would be
little hope of reform for long time to come.
Tt is encouraging, therefore, to discover that the
daily press is not by any means wholly committed
to the advertising of liquor, even under the pres
sure of financial need. This fact is emphasized oy
statistics concerning liquor advertising IN the new"
papers, recently gathered by the National Woman
Christian Temperance Union. These statistics are
the result of nationwide survey of the views OF
the editorial staff of nearly two thousand daily
newspapers.
Inquiries were sent to 1867 daily newspapers.
At the time the figures issued definite replies
had been received from almost fifty per cent OF
the publishers, including every state of the union
except Vermont and the District of Columbia. Or
the 1876 replies received 152 stated that they do
not accept liquor advertising of any kind what
ever; 273 rejected advertising of all distilled
liquors; and only 36S-less than forty-seven per
cent of the total replying-stated that liquor ad-
vertising is accepted Thus considerably more than
half of the daily newspaper publishers who an
swered the inquiry recognize that definite re-
sponsibty to their readers, either ethical or eco
nomic or BOTH is involved in their attitude toward
liquor advertising" These papers which refuse
liquor advertising have an aggregate daily clrcula-
ton of 2,951,262. More than two-thirds of these
papers, it should be noted, are published outside of
dry states
An interesting summary of the reasons given by
these publishers for rejecting all liquor advertising
is published by the union. Some of these are as
follows: "We believe liquor is social evil.
Newspaper advertising can develop public taste"
"The publisher, with family of small children, re-
fuses to become in any a party to evil
that would or will bring suffering to other children
than his own" "The Daily News now reiterates
its decision not to aid even by indrection in its
advertising columns the promotion of a business
which has already allied itself with corrupt poll
tics" ETC.; Zone has no moral right to permit his
newspaper to be used to encourage people to use
alcohol or any other dry or narcotic;' eve believe
the influence of the press made the country wet
and that it could change the sentiment back to
dry"
These facts and opinions should give new hope
to those opposed to the liquor traffic. The foes of
intemperance are not without powerful influence
on their side. All the more honor should be given
toSk0k a. sgspapers which have taken such stand
wi N4ealized what it is costing them in reve-
nj RSf time when such revenues are sorey
nj <H is an evidence both of courage and
81 81 Christian Observer.