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1200... . : ARTHUR GARFIELD HAYS." rae MORRIS L. ERNST Genera! Counsel Woekly Bulletin #1699 © ey =." May 23, CENSORSHIP OF COMIC BOOKS OPPOSED ON CIVIL LIBERTIES GROUNDS’. - Censorship of comic books is an unconstitutional method of combatting the prob’ lem of juvenile delinquency, the American Civil Liberties Union has statede. =. The Union asserted in a policy statement filed with ‘the Senate Judiciary ‘Subs. committee on Juvenile Delinquency that there is a wide variety of opinion as to the. ~. relationship hetween the reading of crime comics and delinquency and that "at this - time there has been no showing that the circulation of crime comic books co a clear and present danger." Unless such a danger is shown, the ACW said, Wand ° there are inadequate alternative means to combat this evil, there is no justificatien’. for_cutting_into_a basic right guaranteed by the U5. Constitution, a free press on=: hampered by governmental intarference es ° TO De - a "The ACLU understands the concern of American parents that their children are’ being subjected to a barrage of written material that may wield real influence on’- their impressionable minds," the Union pointed out in its statement, But there is another danger that must be equally considered ~ the danger of censorshipe. ~~. wee "To suppress books in the absence of a clear and present danger, even offensive eomic books, is in violation of the First Amendment. And the weakening of the First. Amendment can lead to the undermining of our free institutions, which we want our .* children and their children to enjoy vand respectel ~* er sehen. - wa The circulation of all books involves risk, the ACIU added, "but risk is an ine delihle mark of democracy and a society of freedoms" tee te ORR In place of censorship, the Union recommended parental control over the reading. habits of children, continued work by school, ‘yeligious, and community groups to. °*;~. lessen delimyency, additional study of the relation betwegn_juvenile delinquency, and comie books, and proper invoking of obscenity Lause 2, Gh j A 7 2 TE "The problem of juvenile delinquency is of major import pee. aPfake believe that, ’ every legitimate effort must be made to deal with its cates and to Btek its cure, the statement said. "As an organization concerned with the welfare of the American” commmnity, and as parents concerned with the welfare of our children, we are anxious ay that this alarming problem be ‘solvede@n- 00 Ory Sse kn es Pe td DD The Union noted that while a large segment of the public assumes that ¢: horror comics stimulate children to commit crimes, experts in the fields of soc. child psyrhology, psychiatry, and las enforcement have. varying opinions on the Pr - ‘Gnile asserting that it was not its function to pass on the merits of the ex=, perts! opinions, the ACIU said it believed "that comic books,. like other’ mass. mediay , Ray ylay an important part in the development of children's minds and behavior .". But; ; in view of the divergent - even contradictory ‘~ opinions expressed by responsibl wt qualified persons, it believes there is lacking the assurance that crime comics are: a significant cause of delinquencys eer ec + wow bt ek ae The Union considered point by point ‘various proposals for censoring comic book ; It emphasized that censorship coliid not be imposed for “children alone, not only-be sause a large portion of comic book readers are adults; but because to condone par tial pre-censorship would he to invite a spreading of censorship to other reading materials, "To institutionalize the censor and his scissors is a real dangers: f Govermental censorship, even in a limited form, has within it the means.of destroy~"¢ ing the slimate neaded to turture free thought and expression © the minds. of, free, @ REGULAR WEEKLY PeRvice, punTHER INFORMATION FURNISHED ON REG, = eee ee ee nate aa ae 4,