WAR AGAINST THE SOUL [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
SIR,—With regard to your excellent article in the Spectator of October 31st. I have only been babk in England:a year and a quarter after having lived in Italy for a few years. Two points have greatly impressed me since my return : (1) Some films that I have seen both in, England and Italy are far more " cut " in Italy than in England. (2) The way advertising has become very much worse in the last few years.
A few months ago I was on a 'bus coming from Guildford to
this place when I overheard sonic remarks by some young men about a poster at the local cinema, which caused me to go and see both the film and the poster. The film was only foolish and nothing much in it, but the poster was the most filthy picture that I hav,re 'ever seen shown publicly anywhere.
Immediately I wrote to the Mayor, as the chief Justice of the borough, to know what he was going to do about allowing such a picture to be shown on the streets of his borough. In his reply he writes : " I quite agree with you that these pictures are becoming a disgrace and worse than anything one sees abroad." The offending poster was removed. In a later 'letter the Town Clerk tells me that there is no form of censorship for these posters !
When my protest became known I was quite amazed by letters, &c., of congratulations from ministers of all sects, doctors, nurses, and numbers of parents of all classes.
I am only writing all this to show from my own small experience how many right-thinking people want some kind of reform, and to know if you cannot lead some national protest on this " way of disaster " that is threatening us in such a subtle manner.—I am, Sir, &v.,
A. L. HOPKINS,
Farncombe, Godalming, Surrey. Curate of Fameombe.
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