Tuesday Evening Post

Just as surely as the laundry goes out Monday, and the fishman calls on Friday, and the funny papers come on Sunday, just as surely for the past 33 years has the Saturday Evening Post come out on Thursday. So rigorous has been its routine that the publisher dealt harshly with dealers who smuggled copies to impatient customers on Wednesday night. Hence, this week, many and many a reader felt cause to consult his calendar; for there, before him, was his copy of the Saturday Evening Post on Tuesday. It was no irregularity; Tuesday is official Post-day henceforth.

In its announcement of the change, Curtis Publishing Co. explained that Thursday was adopted in 1898 as publication day because in those days most retail shopping was done on Saturday. With shopping now spread throughout the week, earlier publication would presumably be more advantageous to the advertiser of retail goods.

Publishers are also aware that the Post, Collier's and Liberty have long been jockeying for preferred time-position on the newsstands. On the theory that a magazine becomes a backnumber after the date printed on its cover, Liberty and Collier's are dated more than a week later than their appearance. The Post hitherto depended on the big weekend trade to absorb its newsstand stock, sometimes sent boys about on Monday to pick up remaining copies of the current issue and peddle them as best they could. By moving ahead to Tuesday, the Post presents itself with two more sales days per week. It apparently feels secure in the belief that Collier's and Liberty can move no farther ahead of their cover-dates without appearing ridiculous.

Of newsstand sale days, Friday is the biggest, Monday the slackest.

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