Page:1954 Juvenile Delinquency Testimony.pdf/84

72 we do no self-regulation at all except as it may exist in the minds of the editors and they proceed in their daily work.

Mr. . In other words, Mr. Schultz, the comic books, crime and horror comic books which today bear the seal of approval of the asso- ciation, does not necessarily mean that anybody in the association has read them and actually approved of the comics?

Mr. . They do not. The association some 3 years agothe few remaining membersadopted a provision in which they agreed they would do their own censoring, their own censorship at that point, and there is no longer that other process which I described.

Mr. . Yet they still do bear the seal of approval?

Mr. . Yes, they bear the seal now, the eoncept being that. in their judgment they conform to that code which has been made part of the record.

Mr. . Now, in the enforcement of your code, or your regulations, whatever it is, have you any sanctions whatsoever?

Mr. . No; we have no sanctions.

Mr. . In other words, the publisher who does not live up to your code just goes ahead?

Mr. . A publisher who was a member of the association who desired to have the seal on his publication, if he did not conform to the recommendations made, would be deprived of the right to use the seal.

Mr. . I mean right now a person is a member of the asso- eiation and puts out a magazine that bears the seal, there is no way, is there, in which your organization as a functioning organization takes action?

Mr. . We do no checking whatever, none whatever.

Mr. . Were you here this morning, Mr. Schultz?

Mr. . Yes; I was, right from the very inception.

Mr. . Did you see some of the exhibits?

Mr. . Yes; I did.

Mr. . Would you say that the ones which showed crime,. horror and terror, would conform to your articles on crime in the code and on sadistic torture which are forbidden under your code?

Mr. . Well, it is pretty hard to generalize. Wirst of all, I would say when the cede was adopted the weird kind of terror comics had not been in existence and the committee that formulated the code made no provision or reference to it whatever, so that it is hard to answer the question technicatly as to whether it conforms to the code.

My difficulties, however, go beyond the technical. I certainly think they violate the spirit and intent of such code and was one of the reasons for the defections abont which I spoke.

Mr. . Wonld it, in your opinion, violate the provisions of that code which says that the objective of the code is to prohibit anything which in any way lowers the moral standards of those who read them?

Mr. . Now you are getting into an area in which I have very limited competence. I have a lot of experience and contact in the last 6 years with the whole body of the men who have studied the problem and Iam as confused asl presume everybody else is about how to answer that question.