Page:The Newspaper and the Historian.djvu/408

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approaching grade crossings and explaining the precautions taken by the railroad. In 1918 , a campaign against death and

disability by accident was carried on in New York City during four months by thirty-five manufacturing interests, financial

institutions, public service corporations, insurance companies, firms, and individuals, under the general heading, " Take Care !"

But other questions, as well as those of industry, have two sides and after 1914 the questions ofwar and peace, of prepared

ness, of universal military training, of thrift and savings, were all argued or stated through advertisements, - not always with extreme good nature, for an advertisement of the Emergency Peace Federation was answered with an advertisement that was a biting parody of itself.

The advertising campaign urging the conservation of food,

fuel, and travel for pleasure was apparently universal. Special campaigns in favor of thrift and conservation were carried on

by the lines of business that had suffered most from the thought lessness of their patrons. The telephone companies through

advertisements urged their patrons not to call “ information " un

necessarily , to avoid curiosity calls,not to have telephonesmoved , to pay bills promptly , and they issued a series of " Don 'ts ” of universal application . They took advantage of the situation and incidentally advertised the business and personal advantages of courtesy, politeness, good manners , correct habits, and eti

quette in the use of the telephone, and parallel principles for the guidance of telephone operatives were widely advertised . The department stores urged their customers not to return mer chandise, to carry small packages, not to ask for specialdeliveries ,

to shop in the morning, and in many other ways attempted to

indicate fundamental business principles for the benefit of thoughtless shoppers. “ Conservation chats ” through advertise

ments were widely popular, but the distinction between legiti mate conservation and unwise saving was not always clearly

made and this led to responsive advertising. “ An Open Letter ” to several named gentlemen “ and other well-meaning patriots " begged them

to " please soften this extreme save, save, save,

talk ;” other advertisements warned of “ misdirected economies," of the “ curtailment of consistent expenditures,” and urged that