PERNICIOUS BOOKS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 11929, 24 October 1919, Page 7

PERNICIOUS BOOKS.

CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DEMAND. VIEWS OF BOOKSELLERS. Inquiry was made among booksellers yesterday, sAys the Auckland Herald, in regard-to the statements made by the Rev. E. T. Cox, fn an address on Sunday, and by the Rev. H. Ranston in a letter to the Herald, that pernicious literature was being freely sold throughout the city. The information gathered shows that the general charge is well founded, but the reservation has to be made that the largest book houses never handle objectionable periodicals and books except in ignorance of their contents. One leading bookseller was as outspoken in his condemnation of certain periodicals as were the clergymen mentioned, and he stated that a number of American publications had been excluded from his stock. ” “The regrettable thing,” he said, ‘ ‘is that there is a keen demand for questionable literature by a section of the community, of which women and girls form the large majority. Most of those who inquire for books we do not stock on account of their doubtful character are young women, but we also get inquiries from women who are not young • and foolish, and who, judging by the social positions they occupy, would not be expected to have a depraved taste in literature. This morning a young woman asked, without a blush, tor a book v/e refuse to stock. She represents a fairly numerous type who show no sign of diffidence in asking for such publications.” The bookseller in question explained that occasionally an objectionable book was stocked without their knowledge. . For instance, he once ordered copies of a novel on the ‘strength of a very favourable notice which he bad seen in a London literary review of a high standard. The first buyer protested to him about the book, which he then read, with the result that he withdrew it from sale. “The American periodicals we have refused to handle,” he continued, “have no merit of any kind. The stories they contain are usually sordid and pernicious, and they are often devoid of'any literary merit. The language is often not ordinary English, and I can describe them as ‘merely mud.’ ” It was explained by two or three leading booksellers that, even if they had no scruples about selling objectionable literature, it would not pay them to cater for this trade, because they would offend their many customers who were interested in good books. “Of course, it is hard to fix the dividing line”, said one man. “Sometimes a serious hook written for a purpose contains a passage, say on the sex question. Serious readers may sse nothing objectionable in it, regarding it as part of the author’s argument. On the other hand, those with depraved tastes may buy the book simply to revel in this particular passage.; In such a case it is difficult to judge.” One of the smaller booksellers whose main business is in magazines and periodicals took the view that his business was to stock all the publications which the importing houses forwarded. He said he did not think, he was selling anything of a pernicious character, seeing that there wa? demand for it from all classes of the community. ‘‘l admit, some of the magazines are mainly trash and that the picture on the cover often sells them. Many pictures and stories are harmless or improper, according to the -iind of the individual. I have known a more or less daring picture, even iu an advertisement, make a difference to the sale of a number. To me it will mean nothing, hut theio are many people constantly on the lookout for anything that can be interpreted as improper. I receive hundreds of inquiries for postcards bearing pictures of nude figures which 1 don’t stock, although certain wholesale firms advise that they can supply them.’ He added that illustrations iu publications devoted to physical culture sometimes attracted the baser minds, and that; some pictures in periodicals which were claimed to be artistic might not always be published In the interests of art. It was ascertained that the class of publication known as the “penny dreadful” still finds a demand from more or less uneducated women and girls. Publications devoted to the stage appear to have a great vogue among young women, who like to follow the photographic careers of their favourites. The general impression formed during the inquiry was that there is a considerable section of the public who do not read anything hut light literature, and also a section who are for nothing but the sordid and immoral.