
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, July 6, 1993                   TAG: 9307070418
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THE BATTLE AGAINST SECONDHAND

CONGRATULATIONS and thanks to all public-benefit advocates in the media for the good work in warning us of the dangers of "secondhand." For example, "60 Minutes" has proved that secondhand cars are more dangerous than firsthand cars.

This very noble tabloid itself has done a really first-rate job of campaigning tirelessly against secondhand smoke, although you seem fixated on tobacco to the exclusion of all other smoke.

The news desk has also been doing great on the AIDS front against secondhand females, even if some of the printed details were a bit sketchy.

In addition, you have pretty much eliminated secondhand speech, quotations that is, substituting the more informative unsourced attributions and anonymous polls.

However, there remains one small area that might be improved in the war against secondhand. I hesitate to mention it in light of the stupendous efforts on the other fronts, but public necessity compels me to bring it to your attention.

Every day this paper runs ads for secondhand goods of all types without due regard for society's safety and welfare. It is not helpful that you make it so easy for people to foist secondhand goods onto the unsuspecting without inspection, certification or warranty of any kind. The Federal Trade Commission has rules about this, and it's surprising that you are not better informed of them. Society deserves better protection from everything secondhand. This paper has convinced the public of that.

The Roanoke Times & World-News can lead the way for the valley by setting a little better example in its own pages. A little sacrifice in classified revenue for the good of society is not much to give. JAY RUTLEDGE ROANOKE

by CNB