concern our public has - by more than thirty percentage points over taxation and education - is their concern about violence in the streets. That is to say, the worry is about lawlessness, danger, unrest, not just racial, not just organized crime, but the violence engendered by the uncontrolled younger generation. I am not generalizing. You know that I never generalize. Our secondary questions about this concern over violence try to uncover reasons why our subjects feel this condition exists. The same reasons are still being given. We had worked on two of the reasons and couldn’t
develop an issue, a meaningful issue, for Mr Duncan. Two weeks ago we went to work on the third one, the feeling that much of this youthful violence and thread stems from or is provoked by the overt salacity in reading matter and films in theaters and on television. Well, we agreed that such a thread came within Elmo’s province, that it was something he could work on, and our discussion coincided with the appearance of that book that had been brought to Elmo’s attention. Then we agreed he was to try to implement the California Criminal Code on censorship, use the book as an issue to build a statewide case in which he was going to fight the … the …’
‘The publishing Mafia subverting morals,’ volunteered Irwin Blair.
‘Yes,’ said Underwood, ‘and by this act and the trial that might follow it, he would become known as a protector of the young and the old, and an enemy of violence-inciting literature. We agreed to try that -‘
‘We did not agree,’ Duncan interrupted. “The three of you agreed. I was against it from the start.’
‘You went along with us,’ Yerkes reminded Duncan mildly. ‘In the end, you agreed to try it.’
‘Well, of course, but -‘ Duncan began.
‘And now I am given to understand that you have tried it,’ resumed Understood. ‘Mr Yerkes tells me that you finally made an arrest this morning. Don’t you think, before we discuss any new steps, that we should wait to -‘
‘No,’ said Duncan flatly. ‘I am here to talk about that very censorship angle, and I want to talk about it right now. I repeat, I didn’t like the angle from the start, and I still don’t like it. Now I’ve been proved right by the press reaction. It should be plain to all of us that the whole thing is a flop. So let’s forget it and go on to something with more promise.’
Irwin Blair wagged his hand. ‘Hold it, Elmo. Aren’t you being a little impatient? Maybe this Section 311 gimmick will catch on gradually. I admit it didn’t go off like a rocket, but -‘
‘It fizzled, it flopped, and it’s a dud,’ said Duncan with emphasis. He got up automatically, because he was always more effective on his feet. ‘You’re a great one for facts, Harvey. Well, so am I. We charge a book with being obscene, and we arrest a bookseller under Section 311 for purveying an obscene work. Of the four newspapers I’ve seen since this morning, three barely mentioned the arrest, while one didn’t bother to do even that. Of the three that mentioned it, one ran two paragraphs on page six, and the other two gave it a paragraph somewhere near either the want ads or the obituaries.’
Irwin Blair came forward so fast he almost tumbled off the sofa. ‘Look, if you’re blaming me,’ he said defensively, ‘I’ve got to point
out that I’ve tried. I alerted the press. They promised to give it space. I can’t control what finally goes on in the city room. It must’ve been cut down or crowded out by hotter news. But at least two news commentators mentioned it on television.’
‘Calm down, Irwin.’ It was Yerkes. ‘No one is blaming you for the lack of attention this received. Elmo isn’t blaming you, and neither am I. Let’s not waste our valuable time and energies on personal bickering. Elmo is right. We must confine ourselves to facts.’
Blair sat back disgruntled, as Elmo Duncan moved behind his chair and then turned to
develop an issue, a meaningful issue, for Mr Duncan. Two weeks ago we went to work on the third one, the feeling that much of this youthful violence and thread stems from or is provoked by the overt salacity in reading matter and films in theaters and on television. Well, we agreed that such a thread came within Elmo’s province, that it was something he could work on, and our discussion coincided with the appearance of that book that had been brought to Elmo’s attention. Then we agreed he was to try to implement the California Criminal Code on censorship, use the book as an issue to build a statewide case in which he was going to fight the … the …’
‘The publishing Mafia subverting morals,’ volunteered Irwin Blair.
‘Yes,’ said Underwood, ‘and by this act and the trial that might follow it, he would become known as a protector of the young and the old, and an enemy of violence-inciting literature. We agreed to try that -‘
‘We did not agree,’ Duncan interrupted. “The three of you agreed. I was against it from the start.’
‘You went along with us,’ Yerkes reminded Duncan mildly. ‘In the end, you agreed to try it.’
‘Well, of course, but -‘ Duncan began.
‘And now I am given to understand that you have tried it,’ resumed Understood. ‘Mr Yerkes tells me that you finally made an arrest this morning. Don’t you think, before we discuss any new steps, that we should wait to -‘
‘No,’ said Duncan flatly. ‘I am here to talk about that very censorship angle, and I want to talk about it right now. I repeat, I didn’t like the angle from the start, and I still don’t like it. Now I’ve been proved right by the press reaction. It should be plain to all of us that the whole thing is a flop. So let’s forget it and go on to something with more promise.’
Irwin Blair wagged his hand. ‘Hold it, Elmo. Aren’t you being a little impatient? Maybe this Section 311 gimmick will catch on gradually. I admit it didn’t go off like a rocket, but -‘
‘It fizzled, it flopped, and it’s a dud,’ said Duncan with emphasis. He got up automatically, because he was always more effective on his feet. ‘You’re a great one for facts, Harvey. Well, so am I. We charge a book with being obscene, and we arrest a bookseller under Section 311 for purveying an obscene work. Of the four newspapers I’ve seen since this morning, three barely mentioned the arrest, while one didn’t bother to do even that. Of the three that mentioned it, one ran two paragraphs on page six, and the other two gave it a paragraph somewhere near either the want ads or the obituaries.’
Irwin Blair came forward so fast he almost tumbled off the sofa. ‘Look, if you’re blaming me,’ he said defensively, ‘I’ve got to point
out that I’ve tried. I alerted the press. They promised to give it space. I can’t control what finally goes on in the city room. It must’ve been cut down or crowded out by hotter news. But at least two news commentators mentioned it on television.’
‘Calm down, Irwin.’ It was Yerkes. ‘No one is blaming you for the lack of attention this received. Elmo isn’t blaming you, and neither am I. Let’s not waste our valuable time and energies on personal bickering. Elmo is right. We must confine ourselves to facts.’
Blair sat back disgruntled, as Elmo Duncan moved behind his chair and then turned to
Similar Books
