ABOVE: GLEN HOWARD 18 5'10 1/2" 180 lbs. waist 32 Chest 42. Neck 16. Football player at high school, avocation is deepsea diving. At the time this photo made was attending College of Chiropractic. Like Richard Alan (page 18), Glen would prefer to become a doctor if he can eventually get the education for it. He likes people, wants to help them, and considers the saving of a human life perhaps one of the most wonderful things a man could do.
This point of the sacredness of human life brings up an interesting question: Is society itself ever justified to murder? Before several state legislatures bills curtailing capital punishment are now being considered. The strongest argument advanced in favor of capitol punishment is its alleged detterent effect on infamous crime--but the fact is than in the 6 states which have abolished this legalized murder, homicide incidence is no higher than in other comparable states. Another rather inhuman argument is against the cost of feeding and maintaining a convict for the rest of his life--those with this point of view would probably also like to return to the conditions which existed in England as late as 1775 when over 200 crimes were punishable by death (including the stealing of 5 schillings.) Capitol punishment is the fate only of poor men since rich men invariably are able to avoid the penalty. In fact only 1 out of evevery 100 murders ever pay the death penalty! Yet members of poor, racial minority groups are 5 times as likely to be executed as cre members of majority groups who can claim more public sentiment. Most crimes of violence are committed in blind rages or under mental conditions which shut out the thought of any penalty. Wealthy calculating criminals are not restrained, for they know that under the present system with sufficient legal help they can save themselves. Only the poor and friendless man, perhaps with a court-appointed defense attorney, ends up in the execution chamber. That there are many documented cases of where innocent men have had their life snuffed out does not phase the adherents of CP--they feel it would be for better to kill a hundred innocent than to let one guilty escape. Another rather weak argument is that some would prefer death to life imprisonment, but dare the state make this decision.? Does anyone doubt that a man would find a way to put an end to his own life if he preferred that to lifetime imprisonment. Nothing is more sacred than human life. That state itself cannot be a murderer or it sets the cruel example. Join the American Friends Committee who
are fighting capitol punishment. Their address 104 C Street N. E. Washington 2, D. C.
"FOUR ALARM FIRE". Art-Bob depicts the burst of activity when the firehouse alarm goes off. We are reminded of the tremendous debt
of gratitude we owe these brave defenders of our homes, who stand by at any hour of the day or night to rush to our rescue, and risk their own lives to save ours. Let us do all we can to lessen their burden. Follow the fire safety rules (these will be explained to you if you visit any firehouse), be certain firemen in your area receive adequate salaries, proper operating conditions. ...Art Bob 1611 North Avenue 56 Los Angeles 42, Calif. offers an 8x10 dbl-wt matte print of 4-Alarm Fire for $1.50. (3 prints $3.) TAKING YOUR OWN PHYSIQUE PHOTOS --Legal Aspects
We quite often receive questions from photographers asking about what is permissable in physique photography. Let us at the outset say that no clear-cut principles have been laid down, and groups such as American Sunbathing & Health Publishing Associations have alternately won and lost cases for many years. An attorney's advice is no gaurantee against possible prosecution. A "safe" set of rules would be to take no nudes (showing parts), show no pubic hair, cause model to wear a garment of sufficient thickness and texture and arrange same so as to avoid delineation of parts, and avoid poses of controversial nature (slovenly or erotic postures, brutality, etc.) Almost all photographers brought to trial in recent years have been careless in one or more of these aspects, even tho the fault may have been one of careless thoughtlessness rather than intentional "offense."
If these rules are followed, difficulty is very unlikely--but not impossible. In Los Angeles the city prosecutor called pictures obscene because the models were wearing only "tiny patches" and "running around with uncovered rumps" (his language.) However, the highest court of that area ruled that such factors of themselves did not make photographs obscene. America's largest magazine distributing company--The American News Company has recently announced a ban against their distributing any magazines in which people are wearing less clothing than would be acceptable on a public beach. Victorian morality is being ushered back in whether we like it or not, and a photographer not ready or able to defend his work through the high appeal courts must bend over backwards to avoid possible difficulty. Page 21