Promotion

Postmaster General Farley has been criticized up and down the land for: i) stuffing Government offices with too many deserving but incompetent Democrats; 2) exhibiting bad political strategy in his home State of New York; 3) canceling airmail contracts. But last week Postmaster Farley stole a march on the other members of the Cabinet with a shrewd stroke of business for the Government. With the appearance of a Mother's Da.y stamp bearing a copy of Whistlers Mother (with flowers in one corner), "General" Farley declared with a sure insight into the human heart:

"I feel that it is appropriate for me to suggest that every man, woman and child in this country who is blessed with a living mother observe Mother's Day [May 13] by writing their mothers a special letter of appreciation and sending it in an envelope adorned by the special mother's stamp. This action on the part of sons and daughters will evidence their gratitude that God has spared their mothers to them and will provide the mothers with a real sentimental souvenir which they will be happy to place among their most treasured possessions."

Few Captains of Industry could have devised a better piece of promotion. If the Farley announcement induced 10,000,000 citizens to write their mothers, it would bring $300,000 worth of business to the Post Office Department.

In Manhattan last week was held the annual Mother's Day luncheon of the Maternity Center Association. Cried Yale's Physiologist Thomas Wilcox Haggard: "In this country 16,000 women give their lives every year in childbirth, and 10,000 of those deaths are needless. Meanwhile, we celebrate Mother's Day. How utterly typical of the worst of adolescent public opinion is that flower of commercialized sentiment. A rather shameful procedure that, a hypocritical gesture typical of a people who believe they can replace a deep obligation by a shallow sentimental flourish!

"Millions of flowers are presented to mothers who have survived childbirth. But it is only the survivors who get flowers. I don't begrudge them the gift. I merely deplore the hypocrisy. The lives of mothers can be saved only by facing gruesome realities, not by holding out the promise of a potted plant."

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