The Wilmington morning star., 1944-07-30
BY WEsTBROOK PEGLER

NEW YORK, July 29-The case Of ESQUIRE,
the stagline magazine which for 10 years has
been presenting picturized course Of study OF
feminine architecture, accompanied by vein
of humor which might be defined as high
toned smut, has tweaked the self-interest of
the American Newspapers Assn From now
on in the Supreme court, and possibly there
after in congress, a personal conflict over
taste and morals between Frank Walker, the
postmaster general, and David Smart of Chi
cago, the publisher Of Esquire, will be no
mean scuffle between eminent Catholic
layman with rather priestly ideas and a mis-
chievous person with a sexy obsesson and
piece Of chalk 1t now becomes heroic
issue in which Mr.. Smart's defenders are
careful to say that, of course, they hardly
ever glance at Esquire's nudes but having
done so, feel none the worse. 1t is making
liars and sanctimonious prigs Of publishers
editorial writers and others who doubtless do
see Esquire often and casually enjoy it.
Mr. Walker could not have made more mis-.
takes, or sillier, if he had let his opponent
plan his course of conduct so he seems rea.
sonably sure Of licking in the long run.
However, he might get even by causing the
abolition or serious reduction Of the public
subsidy enjoyed by all national magazines and
most small newspapers under the cheap, Sec
Being pure in heart, Mr.. Walker cited Els.
quire on charge of publishing dirty pictures
and jokes and put Mr.. Smart to great ex-
pense in long proceeding in Washington
Before this, Arnold Gingrich, his editor, had
for period Of 10 months made monthly trips
from Chicago to submit his text and pictures
to the post office department for censorship
in advance. Mr.. Smart says that during this
time the department altered text arbitrarily,
including, even the text of verse representing
the hearts blood poets
Nevertheless, he submitted in the hope that
Walker a politician, having served his term
in his highly political office, would move along
as postmasters general usually do.
When the hearing came on in Washington
last fall, Esquire shipped in large staff Of
scholars, literature and experts on the prob
able effect of garish nudes on the morals Of
small boys, to testify against the proposition
that its pages were, in part, obscene MIR
Walkers own board found in favor OF Esquire
but was reversed by Mr.. Walker, himself
who then waived the question of morals ano
revoked the mailing privilege on the grouno
that Esquire was not spreading INFORM atlon
of public character nor devotlng l1seH 70
literature science, the arts or some special
| industry
ESQUIRE appealed to the Federal court in
the District of Columbia, and Judge T. Whit
field up from Texas, sustained Walkers revo.
cation of the mailing permit into an opinion
largely irrelevant, inconsistent and incoherent
Now the case goes to the Supreme court
and meanwhile certain information is being
high churchman sitting in Indiana where
Walker is trustee of Notre Dame university.
He alleges also that his clergyman runs
literary blacklist, or index, in publication
| of his own and Smart presents photostatic
copies of correspondence indicating that the
publication once solicited an ad for its own
revenues from Esquire magazine under cir.
cumstances suggesting sales pressure.
| This was the situation which Smart's at
tornevs had in mind when, in the course Of
the legal proceedings, they referred to Ger
tain unseen and mysterious influences oper
atinp in the case
In spite of prodigious and partially sue
J cessfu1 efforts to increase war production
the combination Of blockade, the bomber Of
4 fensive and continued fighting have left the
! Germans with total supply of munitions
todav which must decline progressively ir
the coming months.