Evening star., 1945-01-31
Catholic Leader
Hits Circulation
|0f Pinup Photos
American Press
Urged to Soft Pedal
Lurid News Stories

Distribution of semidraped "pin-
up girls" among servicemen over
seas was vigorously attacked today
by William c. Smith, assistant ex-
ecutive secretary of the National
Council of Catholic Men, at four
day conference on family life prob
lens at Catholic University.
These "pinups," Mr.. Smith assert
ed, provide an indecent picture be-
fore the dying gaze" Of Servicemen.
The speaker also declared that the
American press should "soft-pedal
or give different slant to, or even
omit entirely certain of the more
lurid news items connected with
divorce, illicuit romances, sex crimes
and the like"
He also berated comics" which
feed children ideas of crime, vio-
lence and even lust"
At the same session, the Rev.
Timothy J. Mulvery, professor Of
homoletics and English at the uni
versity, called upon the American
radio industry to recognize the
PldIC NJOo oCoCl Ci1 Jl1C
of American broadcasting."
Hits Perfume Advertisements.
Mr.. Smith also objects to adver-
tisements which appeal to the
readers lower nature" including
'lewd descriptions of women's un-
dergarments He added:
II am thinking particularly of the
advertisements for perfume, the
whole aim Of which, it would ap-
pear, is to lead the wearer into cir
cumstances where she can be more
easily seduced."
Father Mulvey proposed that radio
executives provide time and talent
for dramatized religious programs
to appeal to radio listeners. He fur
ther suggested that script writers Of
such commercial radio dramas as
soap operas contribute material de-
signed positively for the social,
moral and religious betterment of
the family"
Martin Quigley, president of the
Quigley Publishing Co., said that
Catholics have a moral obligation
to refrain from patronizing motion
pictures which suggest mode Of
life contrary to that taught by the
Catholic church.
Sees Value of Radio.
Father Mulvey, conceding that mo
stricter standards regarding religion,
ayiy,
are to be found outside RADIO" as
serted the defect here was mot what
radio policies say but rather what
they do not say" Declaring the
radio drama "the greatest single
propagandizing vehicle with the pos
sible exception of the news broad
cast" he asked that such programs
show the religious influence on
american life.
| Father Mulvey called upon Cath
olic colleges and seminaries to help
find young priests interested in writ
ling radio scripts. He said that one
difficulty of many religious dramatic
presentations lies in the poor scripts
produced.
| <Ao eAtS lOdOWuIS Oll0
morning delivery of the scheduled
papers, 1t William T. Murphy, di-
rector of the Juvenile Bureau of the
Metropolitan Police Department,
suggested that radio program re-
volving around the true experiences
of boys brought into his department
would make good material for pre-
ventive studies of juvenile delin-
quency.
Influenced by Films.
1t Murphy said very few of the
young boys, whose age ranges be-
tween 9 and IL years, told him they
had been influenced by moving pic
lures they had seen.
Mr.. Smith, answering question,
said the trouble with too many
Catholic magazines is that they ARE
so pietistic that they revolt the
spirit of many modern young Cath
olics." He said there are too many
Catholic magazines that are not
well written nor able to catch and
hold the interest of their readers.
The four-day meeting, ending
Friday, is sponsored by the Family
Life Bureau in cooperation with
the National Catholic Welfare Con-
ference. The Rev. DR.. Edgar
Schmiedeler, Family Life Bureau
director, is in charge of the con-
ference.