Evening star., 1954-10-20
Witness Sees
Juveniles Led
Crime by Tv
Violence Dominates
4O% of Programs for
Children, Probe Told
By Harold B. Rogers

Angeles, president of the Ma
tional Association for Better
Radio and Television, today told
the Senate Juvenile Delinquency
subcommittee the vast guam
tity" of crime television pro-
grams induces some of its mil
lions Of juvenile viewers to par
ticipate in crime themselves.
The witness was the first of
several before the subcommit-
tee as it planned to complete a
two-day public hearing in its
investigation on the impact of
television on juvenile delin-
quency.
Crime and violence are the
dominating factors in approx
mately 40 per cent of all tele-
vision programs presented spe-
ciflcally for children" Mrs. Logan
said.
Study by Foundation.
Asked by Subcommittee Chair
man Hendrickson, Republican, of
New Jersey. if she thought the
problem should be studied by
some foundation or university,
the witness agreed.
A spokesman for the industry
had told the subcommittee late
yesterday that such long time
def1nitive study of television's
effect on viewers might well be
done. by foundation.
Mrs. Logan declared her or
ganization did not favor censor
ship either through Government
or by delegating such right to
any industry group or trade as
sociation.
Urges Alerting of Public.
She recommended, however,
that the public be alerted to what
she called harmful programs and
urged not to buy the products
of such program sponsors. I'VE
are convinced" she testified.
that an increasingly alert public
will refuse to buy candy and
cereal from the dispensers of
mental poison"
Following Mrs. Logan's testi-
mony, two other witnesses sched-
uled for this morning failed to
appear, so Chairman Hendrick-
son recessed the hearing until
2 pm
Mrs. Logan of Los Angeles,
was to be followed by DR.. Ila
Huff. child psychiatrist at the
Girls Home, Memphis, Tenn,
and Miss Enid Love, of London,
England. specialist on children's
and school programs, for the
British Broadcasting Corp.
Testimony From FEC.
Witnesses scheduled for the
afternoon included officials of
networks, Station WMAL-TV and
the Federal Communications
Commission.
Senator Hendrickson yester-
day said 1--WE would be remiss if
we had not inquired into the i'm
pact of television on juvenile
delinquency"
James v. Bennett, director Of
the Bureau of Prisons, proposed
to the subcommittee that the
President appoint an advisory
committee to work with Federal
agencies handling problems of
radio, television and distribution
of publications.
Mr.. Bennett suggested the
committee of 10 or II members
of "unquestioned breadth of
vision, understanding and broad
interest in public welfare" re-
port to the President annually
the results of their research.
Queried on Research.
Herbert w. Beaser, subcom-
mittee chief counsel, asked in
dustry witnesses whether they
had a research organization
looking into the effect of crime
and Wild West shows on chill
dren.
Joseph v. Hefernan, National
Broadcasting Co. vice president,
last witness yesterday, said this
subject was a concern Of experts
in NBC trained for the response
bility. But he said there had
never been a type of "def1nitive
longtime research" to learn
what the effects would be on
children.
Educational Phase.
James L. Caddigan, director
of programming and production
for the Du Mont television net
work, said it shapes it's programs
for young people to educate them
while entertaining them and
IdhcS CdIC W PlOCCSt eA1CAh AAoAA
harmful material.
John H. Hayes, president of
WTOP, Inc. said that station
was of peculiar Importance for
our community in the absence
of a local voting franchise"
Senator HendrickSon COM
mented that the motion picture
shown to the committee from a
WTOP program starring Pick
Temple would not be a very
wholesome thing for children to
watch"
Defending the show and its
star, Mr.. Hayes said Mr.. Temple
was making a series of talks In
Washington public schools in CO.
operation with the Board OF
Education.
Lawyers S Home Looted;
Inee DIarnd Al <f 37S