“DEBAUCHING OF MORALS”

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1930, Page 13

“DEBAUCHING OF MORALS”

EFFECT OF ART UNIONS VIGOROUS ATTACK ON PRESS. MINISTER’S SCATHING DIATRIBE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Invercargill, Last Night. A scathing indictment of art unions was made by tho Rev. C. J. Tocker at to-day’s meeting of the Southland Presbytery, and. resolutions protesting against the licensing of art unions were carried. “This is a public question; it is a public evil,” said Mr. Tocker, “about which I "can no longer be silent and concerning which I hope the voice of the morally enlightened and concerned part of the community will no longer bo silent. At the present time we have one big art union following close upon the heels of another, and all seem to be granted extensions of time. Every town has its agents. In this town a predominant firm of public accountants so far loses its dignity as to take an agency, and a public advertising agent has his stand daily on the public streets, where he may shout bis wares in the ears of every passer-by. “Eventually the winning numbers are drawn by a method that seems honest enough, and the whole tiling is done under the permission of the State and in particular the Minister of Internal Affairs.

“Where Is the voice of the Press? The Press knows this thing is not in the public interest. Where then is its vaunted leadership It is silent-bought by big full-page advertisements. The Press is a very potent influence nowadays. Its papers go into every home in the country. It makes public opinion overnight, often with less thought than you and I give to our intimation that choir practice will be held next Wednesday at 7.30. But such an opportunity and such a privilege carry with them a vast responsibility. It is very disheartening indeed to find the Press absolutely silent while heavy full-page advertisements adorn or disgrace its pages. “I will say this: Had the Press turned down these advertisements and had it embarked upon a campaign to oppose those art unions and to enlighten public opinion concerning their moral nature, then that would have been an act of real moral leadership. I say it is very disturbing indeed to find that our very highly privileged Press is silent and profiting vastly by what is nothing less than nation-wide debauching of the moral sense of the people to raise funds that ought either to be raised in a selfrespecting way or not raised at all.”