Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-02

spector D. H. Stephens, as soon IS
the order is issued, the promoter
can run to court and gets an In.
junction to keep the postmaster
from carrying out the order.
On the criminal side, prosecu-
ton is virtually baked under q
1852 court ruling. A Federal APP
pellate court ruled that a case
against a promoter could only be
brought where the circulars and
other obscene material were mailed
mot where they were received.
If the circular is mailed in Holly
wood-where the largest number
Of them originate-the United
States Attorney in Kansas or
Michigan or any other place where
Junior gets the circular can't do
a thing about it.
'Sophisticotion' q Foctor
AS tactfully as possible, postal
inspectors say that judges in met
ropolitan areas have more
sophisticated" attitude toward
the material than judges in other
parts of the country. Mr.. Ste
phens put it this way:
Unfortunately, the largest
dealers in smut and obscenity
have been able in many instances
to Illustrate our efforts to stop
them because of legal barriers
which enable them to take re-
fuge in areas where the Federal
Courts take a very broad view Of
what constitutes obScenity which
is not shared by the rest of the
country"
The Post Office and Justice De-
partments have joined in asking
Congress to let them prosecute the
promoters where Junior lives, not
just in the big city where the
promoter does his business. I'VE
want to give the offended COM
'munities a chance to decide what
is obscene and what they want to
do about il" a postal official ex-
planned.
They figure that the parents
who would serve on the juries in
the towns where the pornography
is coming into mail boxes would
take good care of the promoters.
The attitude Of parents is re.
Elected in this sampling of recent
complaints:
From the Milwaukee mother Of
q 15-year-old son: II have been
having an awful time trying to
keep these things from him, but
he must have his name on a lot
Of lists. All I can do is ask that
you take care of people like this
in whatever way you are able.
Thank YOU"
From an Effingham (Ill.) par
ent: II have written about six
letters back, telling them he is q
child of IL years. He Just received
another one"
From very concerned father"
in Hartford, Conn: THE adver.
tisers are not only guilty OF ped
ding filth but some even brag
about the fact that they are
breaking the law by selling and
mailing Topographic matter. -"
Mail for q l2-Yeor-OId
From Chicago mother: For
over year these filthy things
have been sent to my son, who is
IL. :. For awhile it slowed down
and is now going full force again.
I cannot see why the Government
permits it,"
From Lansdowne (Pa0
mother: what can one do If chill
dren get to the mail box and open
the mail to see pictures of this
kind? =: Why should they be in
the mail box of people who are
trying to be decent? What would
my 8-year-old and 10-year-old
daughter. think, how can ex-
plain If they should get these and
see them?"
From the Pittsburgh uncle Of
an 11-year-old, who had sent for
a cowboy picture: From the tie-in
with the cowboy pictures, it would
appear that this campaign is
aimed directly at youngsters and
is therefore particularly vicious"
A washington mother said the
circulars started after her son
sent for rebuilt English rifle. A
New York father said 1t began
after teen-agers sent for catalogs
on guns, radio equipment and
camping information. A Des
Moines lawyer said a l4-year-old
boy got on the obscene mail list
after writing for rare stamps.
Complaints have come from a
girls training school In Michigan
and fashionable boys academy
In Pennsylvania. Circulars are
still coming to the home Of a boy
killed several years ago in q traffic
accident.
Meanwhile, the promoters are
having a field day, capitalizing
on the findings Of the postal in
spectors.
One circular boasts: "Sexually
stimulating and provocative? Yes,
says the United States Post Of
Nee" The same circular an
nounces: Gigantic clearance sale
stag merchandise. Too hot to
handel Must be sold before final
court decisionsl" Ia
A note attached TO one circular
sounds this note Of urgency: THE
censors say we have blown the lid
on and may have stepped out Of
bounds. Because Of this situation,
1t may become necessary to de-
stroy our negatives. We there
fore urge you to order immedi-
ately. )"
Postal inspectors wish the pro-
motors really feared they we're in
danger Of a shut down. One Of
them summed up the situation
this way: "Postmen are forced to
carry mail they don't want to car
~, at q loss to the Post once
Department. into homes that
don't want t."