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Show Legislation Would Protect Flag from Advertising Use of the nation's military uniforms and the flag in product , advertising would be outlawed -by legislation introduced this week by Rep. David S. King of Utah. :. If his bill passes, Mr. King said, the uniform and the flag I could be used for only two com- mercial purposes: 1. Legitimate i theatre and motion picture pro- I ' ductions. 2 Advertising of the ? uniform and the flag themselves 1 by firms directly engaged in sell- ing them. I "I see no justification for the way in which our military uni- forms and other sacred national j emblems are being exploited by ? advertisers," Mr. King said. i "The serviceman is being used in magazine ads and on bill- I boards and aTV commercials to I boost the sales of everything from chewing gum and soft I drinks to breakfast cereals and j tobacco. "The uniform and the flag ( have been hallowed by the hero- f ism and the sacrifice which have built this nation and its democratic demo-cratic system into the greatest i institutions on earth. "Advertisers who use the uni- I form and the flag are" simply trying to import to their prod- s ucts the prestige, the tradition i and the good will which are in- j herent in the national emblems. ; I cannot see why this exploita- ' tion of these emblems serves the ' public interest in any way. : "On the contrary, I feel that the public interest suggests that the emblems be protected from such exploitation." Mr. King's bill extends to the states the coverage of a District of Columbia statute which forbids for-bids the desecration of the flag and its use in advertising. It provides a maximum fine of $1000 for the use of either the flag or the uniform in product advertising, and calls for the use of the injunction power to stop such advertising. 1 |
