Page:1954 Juvenile Delinquency Testimony.pdf/287

Rh Mr. Ercnnonn. The subject is "Obscene literature":

Daring the past year or se there bas been quile x tot of agitation and publicity iu connection with the cirenlation of obscene literatnre. it has been discussed in Ge press and beth private groups ap@ public officials have made statements boul it, A year veo at ilis lime we sent you a letter stating the policy of our company, but it may be helpful to repent it at this time. You have ow full permission to qnuole Uds letter to any dealer, any Government official, any uews- paper, any privette group, and, in fact. to anybody at all if you should be called upon for a statement of onr company’s policy.

Eyer siuce its organization 90 years ago it has been the policy of the American News Cov. that iL will not and does nut knowingly distribute any ubscenc publications. Many of our publications are entered as second-class matter with the UVuiled Siates Post Office. Sueh material is censored ly the Post Qilice au- thority and under its regiations oliscene material ts not acceptable. We our- selves du not ecisor because it would be impossible to censor the great unmber of magazines acid books which we distribute both in the United States and in foreign countries.

Furthermore, we hive no jezal authority to censor anything. Nevertheless, out company has a fine record as a distributor of publications which his lived np to all rensonalle standards of aeceptibte literature, We feel thor this is due in large part to the facet that the publishers for whom we distribnte are reputable concerns who desire Lo conduct their busiuess in full compliance with the lav.

Té any particular publication is complaiued ta be obscene by awuy responsible public authority ov private group, we will eooperate fo the fullest exteut in dletermining whellier it is obseccue, If it is determined to be obscene we will not distribute it, We feel, however, that the diffenit situation on obscenity would be mile by authorized pullie agencies, otherwise the private stiudiurds of particular groups may be Imposed ou the rending public which wonid be au nnjustiied im- pairment of the tiherty and freedam of the public.

We liave neyer required any retailer to accept an objectionuble publication as a condition to obtaining auy other publication which we distribute. All our jinb- lications are fully returuabte.

Very truly yours, , President.

Mr. . Let me inquire for a moment as to your relationship with the publishers.

As is customary I gather among other distributors, you made ad- vanees to publishers?

Myr, Kicnuorsx. I don’t know what you mean by that. :

Mr. . When you accept a magazine for distributien, do you pive them advance royalty ?

Mr. Kietrnorn. Money, you mean?

Mr. . Yes.

Mr. Ereuttory. Only in some cases.

Mr. . Do you finance printing costs?

Mr. Ereirorn. No, sir. We have no financial interest im any pub- lication ov any publication concerned.

Mr. . Strictly distribution?

Mr, Ercumory. Strictly distribution.

Mr. . Do you charge a handling charge in any way for handhing the magazines of the publishers, any magazines?

Mr. Eretrorn, We have a handling charge on returns, unsold copies that come back. We charge the publisher handing charge for handling the returns.

Mr. . In other words, the more returns the publisher gets, the more it costs lim ?

Mr. Erciuorn. Well, it costs him for the returns, yes, it costs us iohaudlethem. <All we vet is our handling cost.