Page:1954 Juvenile Delinquency Testimony.pdf/87

Rh culprit und say it is the comic bock Chat is responsible for all our difficulties, isa very dangerous thing.

Iam nof talking now from the comic-book publishers standpoint, Tithink it detracts from the ability to understan<t the real basic exuse of juvenile delinquency. I think it impedes intelligent investigation into those causes. It gratifies the feelings of pareiits and others that something is being dene about it when everybody blames the mass media, cones or television or motion pictures.

I would say from my talking with men who have devoted years to a study of this problem that they are all agreed that the tools which they have in psychiatry and sociology are still too blunt te enable the careful ineasurement of the kind of answer which might be indicated hy Mr. Beaser's question.

They are only beginning to feel their way into this area.

The. You realize, of course, Mr. Schultz, that this subcommittee is only trying to shed a true light on this problem?

Mr. . I would hope, if T may make one plea in conelusion, that this committee, in the face of the larger scepe of this problem, it is a serious, Important, dificult problem, could do a great serviee in my judgement if it would, while excoriating the bad taste and the vulgarity sometimes bordering on obscenity, that occurs im these publications, I think many of the comic-book publishers have failed in their duty to mothers to take this great medium which was 7 years ago a wonderful vital thing and they have debased it in many ways, f think they should be eriticized for that.

But 1 think the whole problem of comic books and their impact must be put in proper focus. How mach of an impact all of the mass media can make ou this problem and what little corner of il the comic book occupies is a very difficult measurement to make.

You start with the Gluecks at Harvard, who have devoted years to this work, who tell us in their definitive book that just came out that a child's pattern of delinquency is fixed at the age of six. That is even before he is exposed to mass media,

The. They have been before this subcommittee.

Mr. . I did not know they had. But you get an oppor- tunity, I think, liere in a veport to point out that if there js an impact it is certiunly a small part of the whole and I am hopeful we can lay the ghost once and for all of the continued excitement, the frightening impact on parents and people all oyer the country by a few people who go about frightening people out of their wits by telling them that all the youngsters in the Nation are being turned inte little monsters by the comic-book industry, which I think is a lot of rubbish.

Senator. I think most of us will agree with you that there are dozens and dozens of factors, or contributing factors, in this problem, and the subcommuitiee has been going into various and sandry ones. J think you will agree it is proper that we do also consider and look at this horror and crime book problem.

Mr. Schultz, how many do you have left in the association?

Mr. . We have about a dozen members, as I said, of which only three are publishers.

Senator. On this code here, you have Premium Service Co., Inc. Is that still a member?

Mr. . I don't recognize that name. It is not a member.