17
January, 1944
•THINK BEFORE YOU DRINK": • A large brewery has long had the slegan, ‘Think before you drink—and you w ill select ____ ............. brand of beer.” Some time ago, this concern purchased time for its news broad casts, immediately preceding a reli gious program. The newscast would be given, and then the beer company’s announcer would conclude, “Think be fore you drink—and you w ill select ______ brand of beer.” A few seconds later, the evangelist conducting the religious program would come on the air. Naturally, he did not appreciate hearing that drink ing slogan dinned into his ears—and those of his listeners—just before he gave his gospel message. One day, he could stand it no longer. The beer propagandist gave his usual announcement. The evan gelist commented; as he came on the air, “That’s right, my friend, think before you drink—because it is a sure thing you can’t afterwards.” I was never able to find out if the, evange list was put off the air permanently, or just reprimanded, by the radio management. But his comment is pertinent when we hear the beer advertisers showing their “ patriotism” by recommending, “Drink a cool glass of our beer:—and then: buy war bonds." A glass of their beer—or anybody’s beer—is not conducive to thoughts of war bonds, patriotism, or anything except thirst for more beer. The worker who stops in at the tavern, before going to the post office on pay day to buy bonds, is likely never to get beyond the tav ern, until his bond money is gone. But sine» Repeal, the liquor inter ests have assumed a new swagger and boastfulness. Especially since the outset of the present war, they have cast themselves in the role of sterling patriots. They boast of how much they pay in taxes. The fact, of course, is that the more they pay in taxes, the more they cost us in taxes—to main tain institutions to care for their vic tims. The more they pay in taxes, the more they help Hitler, by undermin ing the health and morals of our people. The whole argument is an insult to the intelligence of the American people. People can do without liquor entirely. If there were no liquor to be purchased, there would be a vast sum of money released for the purchase of war bonds. There is a department of govern ment, the Federal Trade Commission, which suppresses unfair methods of advertising and misleading publicity offered by sales promoters. Assured ly, the advertising of alcoholic bev erages should be suppressed on the basis of the falsification and misrep resentation' practiced by the liquor interests.
BEHIND THE NEWS [ Continued, from Page 5]
IT’S AN IDEA!
America’s greatest need w ill be when the war is over. More than half an swered: “ Full-time employment for all our people.” Assuredly, every one will agree that steady employment is ' a great na tional need. But is it our greatest need? Good jobs mean good pay. And good pay means new automobiles, new radios, new homes, new luxuries for the masses o f our people. These things are desirable in their place. But is there not something higher for which we should strive? There is no unemployment in wartime. But is not peace with unemployment to be pre ferred to war with fu ll employment? When Hitler came to power in 1933, he promised an end to unemployment. He achieved that goal by large-scale war preparations. Are we to adopt the policy of eliminating ,unemployment at any price? Our fathers, valued liberty above life itself. They sought peace and freedom and justice—¡-and were w ill ing, if need be, to give up luxuries and prosperity to attain those higher goals. The mad scramble for wealth and prosperity has been the cause of many wars in the past. No “ league of na tions” can hope to maintain peace among nations if the people are to have no higher goal than material wellbeing. PROFITEERING IN PATRIOTISM: • The “ commercializing of patriotism” has reached the proportions of a na tional scandal. To prevent inflation, the gbvernment has urged the people to buy only what they absolutely need. They are implored to save their money and buy war bonds. A ll the great national advertisers are pre tending to. cooperate in this crusade. But, in most cases, their use of the “ patriotic motive” is for their own benefit The worst offenders, of course, are the cigaret and beer and whiskey ad vertisers. Canada has had a complete blackout of liquor advertising for the duration. Congress would help the war effort by passing a law forbid ding the transit through the mails of magazines and newspapers containing advertisements of cigarets and alco holic beverages. The Federal Commu nications Commission should enforce a similar ban on radio stations. With a shortage of paper, which has caused a curtailment in the printing of Bibles, there- is assuredly no excuse for the waste of valuable paper in the print ing of full-page magazine and news paper advertisements calculated to in crease consumption of poisons which undermine the physical and mental efficiency of their users.
Why not make a real effort to put your Christian Endeavor So ciety “ on the map” ? February 2 is the birthday of Christian Endeavor. So, February would be a good month in which to put on some C. E. projects and let your community know that young people in your town love Christ and are earnestly endeavoring to serve Him. Idea 1. Arrange for a C. E. dis play in a downtown store win dow. Use a large wall pledge as the Center of the display. Pictures, banners, and a large Bible w ill all add interest. Some Christian storekeeper w ill give you space. • Idea 2. Put on a newspaper campaign. Turn in stories about the birthday of C. E. Tip in with your local church and young people. The editor w ill help you. Idea 3. Unite with other socie ties near you and put on a radio program in honor of the birthday of C. E. You might have a “ Birth day Party” over the air. Ask your pastor-counselor to help you. Be sure to stress the fact that C. E. is “ International, inter-racial and interdenominational.” • Idea 4. During this month, have the best C. E. meetings possible. Ask your pastor whether he would like you to demonstrate a model C. E. meeting before the entire church. Talk C. E. Wear your pin. Invite everybody you meet who is eligible. Plan thoroughly—work hard—pray much, and put C. E. over in your town in. the month of February. The simultaneous working of all the above ideas, and others, w ill help to do the job (Matt. 5:16). —Carlton C. Buck.
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