Page:1954 Juvenile Delinquency Testimony.pdf/300

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JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

If an adult wants to read il, it is perfectly all right, but I certainly wouldnt want my 17-year-old danghter to actually cee a word that you know ts forbidden io sec, right in front of her.

What is the actual sense ef that when she knows she sees it there, she ean repeat anywhere, il iscommon knowledge? It is literature; it will become a classic 10 years from now.

IT don’t know whether J am cominilting libel or slander. JT am speak- ing on behalf of myself now. Versonally my sensibilities for our children are hurt to know that they had to have that sort of saying in a book, paperback edition,

IT wanted to call your attention to one item that appeared—I made a photostatie copy of the Sex Wabits of American Women—the change in attitude toward virginity. Among the group of middle-class mar- ried women, where they get their dope from, 1 dou't know, but that doesn’t make a bit of difference io a child who is beginning to blossom into womanhood, before 1890: Not virgin at marriage, 13 percent.

Skip dewn to 1910 or later: Not virgin af marriage, 68 percent.

I have always felt that people followed the sheep. When you see somelhing like this in there—where they got their dope from, I don’t know—Tl feel that any boy’s mind could be very quickly turned where the tables are evenly balanced.

Our work has been principally on this type of literature rather than on the erime comics, The psychological eifect——

The Chairman. Mr. Kapton, in that connection, as I recall it, you said this bill that is pending in the New Jersey House Assembly did not provide any enforcement provisions for the crime comics.

Mr. Kavnon, It didnot. We were afraid to go out whole hog at this time. We wanted to eet this thing through with as httle bickering as possible.

Crime comics, there has been argument on both sides. I am con- vineed it has an effect on the child.

The Chairman. You said that bill was pending in the committee?

Mr. Kartox. It is pending in ihe committee on revision and amend- ment of laws. Mr. Vanderbilt told me yesterday that it is expected to be moved out of the committee on June 7 when it will have its second reading.

The Chairman. Your committee does not think it advisable to cover crime comics in this legislation?

Mr. Kavton. If we could cover crime comies it would be delightful, but Tam hopeful to get at least a portion of it in now, It is almost too Jate to try to get the crime comics element into this bill.

The Chairman. Would it be bold of the Chair te suggest that you might contact Bill Vanderbilt and ask him if he could not have a comunittee print written up so as to cover crime comics?

Mr, Karzon. I sliall be very happy to contact Bill Vanderbilt and sec if we can‘ get something through on that, and again copying the fine work of Assemblyman Fitzpatrick, te whom we are deeply in- debted in New Jersey. If he would send the legislature a bill for the work that they have accomplished, I would really think that the jlevislature of New Jersey would be getting a good bargain.

The Chairman. I think the whole country is indebted to Mr. Fitzpatrick.

Mr. Karson. Of course, I mention your committee, too. Without your help, without the influence, the prestige of the Senate subcom-