Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-06-13
British Press
Praised for
Carrying On
Stores Still Advertise
10 Keep Good Will

10 Keep Good Will
BY DAMON RUNYON
MIR. f. d. A. HERBERT. of
NA the Hotel st. Regis, New
York, a Briton, seems to feel
that some of my readers may
have acquired a wrong impress
sion from my column on British
magazines and the advertise
ments therein. especially the
mems clothing ads.
He thinks il might be assumed
from my reference that English
tailors and outfitters are still
continuing TO offer their Gus
toners trousers and coats in pre-
war styles. and says that this
is, quite definitely, not the case.
THE simple fact Is that tall
ors and outfitters are continuing
to use blocks and stereOs made
before the war. for the purpose
Of their current advertising, rs
II Is virtually impossible to oh
tain either the material or the
Dor necessary to produce
blocks under wartime conditions
In England" remarks Mr.. Her
bert. -.-..--.
He then develops a point that
! am glad to present not only
because OF its interest but be-
cause the same situation may
apply later on in this country.
1t is the reason for the adver-
tisements.
In discussing the British publi-
cations, l was impressed mainly
by their ability to carry on with
such fortitude under war condi-
tons and did not attempt to
draw any conclusions from the
address as Mr.. Herbert seems to
think, but / did not give the ex-
PLANTATION he offers.
TT is as follows:
"As to the number OF adver-
tisements that continue to ap-
pear In British papers urging
the public TO buy certain ar
ticles, of which there is a very
short supply. or which are prac-
.tically unObtainable, I might say
that many advertisers are con-
tinuing to take space in news
papers and other periodicals
with the full knowledge that
their expenditure cannot be i'm
mediately Justified.
But they regard II as i'm
portant to continue to advertise
on limited scale, firstly with
the object of retaining their
good will with the public and
secondly I'm order to provide n
measure of financial support to
make possible the continued
publication Of these periodicals.
For the reason that have
Indicated above, namely the i'm
possibility OF obtaining the
blocks under wartime conditions
In England, many of these ad-
vertisements are Identical with
those that appeared before the
war.
From the point of view of
return on advertising expendi-
ture. and particularly from that
of the undesirability of Great
ing desire In the public mind
for goods that it Is not possible
to supply, there is no justifica-
ton for this advertising, but,
nevertheless, British advertisers
feel that they must play their
part In continuing to keep the
flag flying"
MR.. HERBERT says he is not
'A in any way connected with
British newspapers and does not
do any advertising in any of
them. but is just an ordinary
citizen of Britain, interested only
in correcting any misunderstand-
ing that might arise in the minds
of any of my readers regarding
the earnestness with which every
man, woman and child in Britain
has faced, and will continue to
face the present crisis.
/ am inclined to doubt that on
the record of British people to
date any Americans are going
to question that earnestness and
/ think that any misunderstand-
ing of anything / have written
is entirely in the mind of Mr..
Herbert.
In fact, I think that all Brit
ons who come to the United
States are supersensitive on
comment on their nation even
when il is all in good humor.
They must learn that il is an
old American custom in the clos
est of partnerships, with deep
affection and loyalty prevailing
on both sides, for each member
of the firm to occasionally exer-
else the privilege of making
cracks about the others. but
that this in no way weakens the
$ ire myth of the combination
against outsiders or diminishes
the love of one partner for the
other.