Page:1954 Juvenile Delinquency Testimony.pdf/73

Rh

Mrs. Faye Hubbard, wife of Mayer Orville L. Ilnbbara. was wonnded by a gimshat fired hy her 11-year-oald son (March 6) 5 the mayor was quoted us blaming the incident on his boy's interest in cuurics magauzines"Russian roulette." Use of comics books in election campaigns is subject of legislation pending in Massa- ¢husetts Staite Legisiature, supported by Republicans and Democrats, Couneil- Tan John BE. Engel, of liackeusnek, N, J, asked the city attorney fo prepare an ardinance ta regulate comie hooks (Fehruary 24) (Hackensack, Bergen Evening Record). Newbnreh, N. ¥., held meeting of 1% organizations fo plan anticounies campaign, lender beyving described comies as "subversive"; results of mecting uot ret kuewn, A xpevial committee is invesliguting comic hocks in Wucondido; reperted in the San Diego (Crtif.) Union, The Bentonville, Ark., Comics Book Committee finished its evaluation for Toeal people and the Fayetteville (Ark.} Tunes reports that the ¢hairman, Mrs. Lewis Dahlsirom, is now helping other coimunitties evalnate comies, too. Only one-tenth of all comics are fit to read. according ta a police eaptain at u PVA meeting in Fye- mont, Ohio, as reported in the Fremont Messenger, February 19. The elfeet of comics on youth is the subject af a curcent study of the Study Club of Freer, Tex. "Abolition of degradiug comies books for atl time" is the goal of a campaign af women's clhibs in Leesbure, Fla.; camics books were deserihed as direct con- tribators Lo juvenile delinguency; late in Febraary and early March, the Or- lando (fla.) Sentinel carried anticomies editorials and letters to the editor. The Springfield, Mass. Comies luvestigation Committee announced if will not engage in "witch hunts" (February 25, Springfield News). Numerous Washing- tou disputehes continue fo report intention of Liendrickson committee to investi- gate comics. Elartford, Conn., continues te be eenter of strong anticomies fight; nearby connmunities plan comies enrbs, following series hy Hartford Conrant, deseribed in earlier ACAI? bulletin: daily anticomies activity is reported. And- comics retian reported in the jiress of Los Angeles; Llamnignd, Tod.; Llonsten, Tex.; Detroit, Mich.; Asheville, N. C.; and elsewhere.

Augelo Patri's syndicated newspaper eolunm, while eritical of comics, on February 26, ineluded the follawing after discussing comies censorship: "What we want tu do is to safeguard the children and still preserve our cherished right to read what we choose. It requires careful doing, but it can he done."

The New Iaven Register warmly eommeided the B. l. Goedrieh educational comics magazine on highway safety.

The Ene (Pa.) Times conunended a local conimittee that succeeded in "rid« ding the city of smutty and obscene literature" no longer visible on the news- stands (Febrmary 24).

The New Orleans States warinly praised Dr. Rex Morgan, comic strip, as edu- eatioual and eonstructive and said the way to deal wilh "unwholesome enter- tainment" is to provide "a more wholesome kind."

The Albany (N. Y.) Knickerbocker News and Elmira (N, Y,) State-Gazette earried identical editorials (February 19 aud 22) on New York State comics legisialion, concluding that if the State legislature "fails to exercise judgment," it will have failed to perform its proper function in connection with pending anticomics legislation.

Alfred A. Albert, Boston leader in civil liberty efforts, defended comics in a strong letter to the Boston Herald on March 3.

Dr. William Darby Glenn, psychology department chief of University of Tampa, in a speech before the Miami Woman's Club, declared many a child has learned to rend from comic books where the conventional reader has failed.

Observes the Schenectady (N. ¥.} Union Star on February 25: "Enlightened and determined public opinion is the only true censorship in a nonpolice state," anticomics legislation.

Activity against comics magazines seems to have become more intense in all sections of the country in the past 10 days. , General Council.