the americanization of edward bok-第64章
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s righteous concern offering fifty thousand of their names for sale。
Bok had now kept up the fight for over two years； and the results were apparent on every hand。 Reputable newspapers and magazines were closing their pages to the advertisements of patent medicines； legislation was appearing in several States； the public had been awakened to the fraud practised upon it； and a Federal Pure Food and Drug Act was beginning to be talked about。
Single…handed； The Ladies' Home Journal kept up the fight until Mark Sullivan produced an unusually strong article； but too legalistic for the magazine。 He called the attention of Norman Hapgood； then editor of Collier's Weekly； to it； who accepted it at once； and； with Bok's permission； engaged Sullivan； who later succeeded Hapgood as editor of Collier's。 Robert J。 Collier now brought Samuel Hopkins Adams to Bok's attention and asked the latter if he should object if Collier's Weekly joined him in his fight。 The Philadelphia editor naturally welcomed the help of the weekly； and Adams began his wonderfully effective campaign。
The weekly and the monthly now pounded away together； other periodicals and newspapers； seeing success ahead； and desiring to be part of it and share the glory； came into the conflict； and it was not long before so strong a public sentiment had been created as to bring about the passage of the United States Food and Drug Act； and the patent…medicine business of the United States had received a blow from which it has never recovered。 To…day the pages of every newspaper and periodical of recognized standing are closed to the advertisements of patent medicines； the Drug Act regulates the ingredients； and post office officials scan the literature sent through the United States mails。
There are distinct indications that the time has come once more to scan the patent…medicine horizon carefully； but the conditions existing in 1920 are radically different from those prevailing in 1904。
One day when Bok was at luncheon with Doctor Lyman Abbott； the latter expressed the wish that Bok would take up the subject of venereal disease as he had the patent…medicine question。
〃Not our question；〃 answered Bok。
〃It is most decidedly your question；〃 was the reply。
Bok cherished the highest regard for Doctor Abbott's opinion and judgment； and this positive declaration amazed him。
〃Read up on the subject；〃 counselled Doctor Abbott； 〃and you will find that the evil has its direct roots in the home with the parents。 You will agree with me before you go very far that it is your question。〃
Bok began to read on the unsavory subject。 It was exceedingly unpleasant reading； but for two years Bok persisted； only to find that Doctor Abbott was right。 The root of the evil lay in the reticence of parents with children as to the mystery of life； boys and girls were going out into the world blind…folded as to any knowledge of their physical selves； 〃the bloom must not be rubbed off the peach；〃 was the belief of thousands of parents； and the results were appalling。 Bok pursued his investigations from books direct into the 〃Homes of Refuge；〃 〃Doors of Hope；〃 and similar institutions； and unearthed a condition； the direct results of the false modesty of parents； that was almost unbelievable。
Bok had now all his facts； but realized that for his magazine； of all magazines； to take up this subject would be like a bolt from the blue in tens of thousands of homes。 But this very fact； the unquestioned position of the magazine； the remarkable respect which its readers had for it； and the confidence with which parents placed the periodical on their home tablesall this was； after all； Bok thought； the more reason why he should take up the matter and thresh it out。 He consulted with friends； who advised against it； his editors were all opposed to the introduction of the unsavory subject into the magazine。
〃But it isn't unsavory；〃 argued Bok。 〃That is just it。 We have made it so by making it mysterious； by surrounding it with silence； by making it a forbidden topic。 It is the most beautiful story in life。〃
Mr。 Curtis； alone； encouraged his editor。 Was he sure he was right？ If he was； why not go ahead？ Bok called his attention to the fact that a heavy loss in circulation was a foregone conclusion； he could calculate upon one hundred thousand subscribers； at least； stopping the magazine。 〃It is a question of right；〃 answered the publisher； 〃not of circulation。〃
And so； in 1906； with the subject absolutely prohibited in every periodical and newspaper of standing； never discussed at a public gathering save at medical meetings； Bok published his first editorial。
The readers of his magazine fairly gasped； they were dumb with astonishment！ The Ladies' Home Journal； of all magazines； to discuss such a subject！ When they had recovered from their astonishment； the parents began to write letters； and one morning Bok was confronted with a large waste…basket full brought in by his two office boys。
〃Protests；〃 laconically explained one of his editors。 〃More than that； the majority threaten to stop their subscription unless you stop。〃
〃All right； that proves I am right；〃 answered Bok。 〃Write to each one and say that what I have written is nothing as compared in frankness to what is coming； and that we shall be glad to refund the unfulfilled part of their subscriptions。〃
Day after day； thousands of letters came in。 The next issue contained another editorial； stronger than the first。 Bok explained that he would not tell the actual story of the beginning of life in the magazinethat was the prerogative of the parents； and he had no notion of taking it away from either； but that he meant to insist upon putting their duty squarely up to them； that he realized it was a long fight； hence the articles to come would be many and continued； and that those of his readers who did not believe in his policy had better stop the magazine at once。 But he reminded them that no solution of any question was ever reached by running away from it。 This question had to be faced some time； and now was as good a time as any。
Thousands of subscriptions were stopped； advertisements gave notice that they would cancel their accounts； the greatest pressure was placed upon Mr。 Curtis to order his editor to cease； and Bok had the grim experience of seeing his magazine； hitherto proclaimed all over the land as a model advocate of the virtues； refused admittance into thousands of homes； and saw his own friends tear the offending pages out of the periodical before it was allowed to find a place on their home…tables。
But The Journal kept steadily on。 Number after number contained some article on the subject； and finally such men and women as Jane Addams； Cardinal Gibbons； Margaret Deland； Henry van Dyke； President Eliot； the Bishop of London； braved the public storm； came to Bok's aid； and wrote articles for his magazine heartily backing up his lonely fight。
The public； seeing this array of distinguished opinion expressing itself； began to wonder 〃whether there might not be something in what Bok was saying； after all。〃 At the end of eighteen months； inquiries began to take the place of protests； and Bok knew then that the fight was won。 He employed two experts； one man and one woman； to answer the inquiries； and he had published a series of little books； each written by a different author on a different aspect of the question。
This series was known as The Edward Bok Books。 They sold for twenty…five cents each； without profit to either editor or publisher。 The series sold into the tens of thousands。 Information was； therefore； to be had； in authoritative form； enabling every parent to tell the story to his or her child。 Bok now insisted that every parent should do this； and announced that he intended to keep at the subject until the parents did。 He explained that the magazine had lost about seventy…five thousand subscribers； and that it might just as well lose some more； but that the insistence should go on。
Slowly but surely the subject became a debatable one。 Where； when Bok began； the leading prophylactic society in New York could not secure five speaking dates for its single lecturer during a session； it was n
