Mr. Gaines. No, sir.
Mr. Beaser. Were you here this morning when Dr. Peck testified?
Mr. Gaines. I was.
Mr. Beaser. Did you listen to his testimony as to the possible effect of these comics upon an emotionally maladjusted child?
Mr. Gaines. I heard it.
Mr. Beaser. You disagree with it?
Mr. Gaines. I disagree with it.
Frankly, I could have brought many, many quotes from psyelia- trists and child-welfare experts and so forth pleading the cause of the comic magazine. I did not do so because J figured this would all be covered theronghly before T wot bere. And it would just end wp ix a bie melee of pitting experts avainst experts.
Mr. Beaser. Let ne get the Tumits as far as what you pul info your magazine. Is the sole lest of what you would put into Your iWyerzine whether it sells? Is there any limit you cin think of that you wonld not put ina maguzine becanse you thonght a child should not see or read about it?
Mr. Gaines. No. I wonldn't say that there is any Jimit for the reason yon outhned. My only limits are bounds of good taste, what I con- sider goo taste.
Mr. Beaser. Then you think a child cannot in any way, in any way, shape. or La be hurt by anything that a child reads or sees?
Mr. Gaines. I don't believe so.
Mr. Beaser. There would be no limit actually to what you put in the magazines?
Mr. Gaines. Only within the bounds of good taste.
Mr. Beaser. Your own good taste and salability?
Mr. Gaines. Yes.
Senator Kefauver. Here is your May 22 issue. This seems to be a man with a bloody ax holding a woman's head up which has been severed from her body. Do you think that is in good taste?
Mr. Gaines. Yes, sir; I do, for the cover of a horror comic. A cover in bad taste, for example, might be defined as holding the head a Itttle higher so that the neck could be seen dripping blood from it and moving the body over a little further so that the neck of the bedy could be scen to be bloody,
Senator Kefauver. You have blood coming out of her mouth.
Mr. Gaines. A little.
Senator Kefauver. Here is blood on the ax. I think most adults are shocked by that.
The Chairman. Here is another one 1 want to shaw him.
Senator Kefauver. This is the July one. It seems to be a man with a woman in a boat and he is choking her to death here with a crowbar. Is that in good taste?
Mr. Gaines. I think so.
Mr. Hannoch. How could it be worse?
Senator Hennings. Mr. Chairman, if counsel will bear with me, I don't thinks it is really the function of our committee to argue with this gentleman. I believe that he has given us about the sum and substance of his philosophy. but I would like to ask you one question, sir.
The Chairman. You may proceed.
