Page:1954 Juvenile Delinquency Testimony.pdf/252

240 Mr. That type of material has very, very limited distribution, sir.

Senator By limited distribution, Mr. Davis, what do you mean?

Mr. I mean it would go to three or four hundred towns; stuff like that. Wholesalers don't have to take that stuff.

Senator How many in numbers would you publish of Frolic?

Mr. Frolic would be about 100,000.

Senator A month?

Mr. That is right.

Senator How long has it been in publication?

Mr. It has been out for probably 7 or 8 years.

Senator It sells about 100,000 a month?

Mr. No; it does not sell 100,000. It sells about 65,000,

Senator Do you undertake to scrutinize the material that goes into such magazines as Frolic?

Mr. . I would not say at all times I do, but we have gone on Mr. Sumner's record here over the years in New York City. I think he made the statement, when this type of book was brought into court, that it was no more than what they are showing on these Broadway shows. In fact, this girl shaking her shimmy there is right out of the Broadway show. I have seen her myself. That is the Tiger Girl in Kiss Me Kate. That is the same picture.

Now, we have gone on that premise. And the beaches, also, for that matter; you can go to the Shoreham Hotel and see just as bad as that any time in Washington with a bunch of little gals around there.

Senator. In other words, you suggest that the mores and general acceptance of what may be seen in Broadway shows or a nightclub or at the Shoreham Hotel, or any other hotel, is the criterion by which you would determine which of these publications should be acceptable?

Mr. . That has been my thinking, sir, but I will make one thing very clear here, that I am not the publisher, sir.

Senator I understand that.

Mr. . I may also say that the publisher of Gala also publishes such type books as Movie Spotlight, Movie Play, and Movie Time. It is not just one house of so-called girlie books.

Senator. Now, as the distributor, then, have you ever told any of the publishers, for example, that you would not take for distribution a magazine such as Suppressed?

Mr. . No, sir; we would take Suppressed, and be glad to have it.

Senator. Have you ever refused to take any that have been offered to you?

Mr. . Yes, sir; many, sir. For instance, I may point out that in dealing with St. Johns' comics, he had same comics there that we didn't care about putting out. We took 18 of what we considered the best.

I don't think there is any better than that lineLooney Tooney group, or Paul Terry, or Mighty Mouse group.

Senator. What was your yardstick of judgment as to the comics that you refused to take?