Page:1954 Juvenile Delinquency Testimony.pdf/155

Rh In other words, in this caupendium you will find just as prominen:- ly displayed very strong condemnation of comics, or, should I say, very strong feehngs about the bad effects of comics as there were statements to the effect from some other people that there were nu such effects.

T think i was a particular contribution again of our organizalien that if put out these statements und pomted out, and again I say in the sprig of 1948 that there was considerable question about the comics and that future study wonld be dicated.

Mr. . You are concerned, though, that those statements are now being misused?

Mr. . Sir, by whom are they being misused? Nobody hag told me they are being misused. You made reference to it in some conversation sometime ago, J would be most interested in hearing from this committee to what extent they are being mistsed.

The only use 1 have seen is in an undocumented comment, false statement, In the book of Mr. Wertham.

Mr. . You yourself said that the 1943 studies are being distributed now as though they were current.

Mr. . I, myself, said to the contrary.

Mr. . Not by you, but by others?

Mr. . I said that most carelessly Mr. Wertham in his bool hmplied that they were being distribnted.

Senator. And they are not being distributed?

Mr. . They have not, sir, and have not been for years.

So that Mr. Wertham who wrote this book takes stuff out of con- text. His entire book has not one documented reference of our ma- terial so that it is impossible for me to go through tens of thousands of pages to see where he picked this particular sentence.

In other words, he has presented an entirely nuscientilic study which isa mockery of research, said this was being cirenlated. Our séudia have not been circulated because we are fully aware that they were made at a time when this material was noé there.

Ilowever, I think, Mr. Chairman, we, and | speak with a straight face, should come in for some commendation that very early already, and in the strongest language we pointed at the dangers of these COMICS.

If you wil} read over the various statements which 1 have put into my particular remarks here, you will find that they add up to sone very strong statements.

Senator. May I ask this, as a matter of information ?

The. Senator Hennings.

Senator. If you felt strongly as you did in 1948 about what you felt to be the dangerous trend, the unhappy trend in the nature and character of these publications, why did you not do anything more recently now that that fear has been fulfilled?

Mr. . 1952that was the reason that I referred to that we once more have pointed this up.

Again, remember, we are not a social-action bureau. We are not the children's bureau; we are not the National Probation and Parole Association.

However, to be specific, may I, with your permission, read from a forthcoming book, which is published today, sir, it so happens, by