Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-04
MAY INSPECT MILLS
Committee to Look Into Paper
Production.
PREPARING SOME QUERIES
Forty Publishers Willing to Come to
Washington.
WILL TESTIFY TO CONTRACTS
MI. Norris Resumes His Story of the
Combination to Put Up
Prices.
WILL TESTIFY TO CONTRACTS

Preceding the resumption Of the exami-
nation of John Norris. representing the
American Newspaper Publishers Associa-
ton. the House select committee appoint
ed to investigate the question of wood
pulp and print paper today was in execu-
tive session formulating a long list OF
questions regarding the wood pulp and
news print paper industries. upon which
governmental statistical data are desired
at once.
The committee also discussed the ad-
visibility of visiting several paper mills
and conducting hearings on the spot. A
tentative understanding was reached that
the comwittee leave here Friday after
noon for an inspection of the Hudson
River Mill at Palmers Falls, n. Y, and
possibly one or two others.
Publishers Willing to Come.
Upon resuming his testimony Mr.. Nor
ris submitted 17S kilograms from pub
fishers. replying to a query by Mr.. Ridder
last Saturday, giving information regard
ing their paper contracts. He also SUBJ
mitted a list of forty-one publishers who
have signified their willingness to come
20 Washington and testify.
Chairman Mann said that rather than
set a particular day this week to hear
them it would be better to hear them az
they appeared. In all likelihood the COM
mittee will be absen: Saturday. and con-
sequently there may be no hearing in this
city on that day.
The recitation by Mr.. Norris Of increases
in cost of paper by contract prices pro-
voked Chairman Mann to ask Mr.. Norris
il he had any theory of what caused the
wide range of prices paid by Illinois
newspapers-from $40 to SO increase
per ton.
Mr. Norris replied that commissions.
purchase at mills quality of paper. guam
tity contracts and place of delivery un-
doubtedly combined to make the explana-
tion.
DO you know" asked Mr.. Bannon. re-
ferring to newspapers generally. whether
the prices at the mills on a given grade
Of paper are uniform?
The Alleged Combination.
We are here answered Mr. Norris,
attempting to show that a combination
has been entered into by the paper manu-
facturers to uniformly raise the price OF
paper ~ cents a pound, and that this
combination cohtemplates a further adj
vance to 3 cents a pound
1t was pointed out by Mr.. Mann that
in an occasional instance II appeared that
quotations were lower by some dollars
per ton than the existing prices under
contract
Mr.. Norris replied that such quotations
were from Canadian mills.
Mr.. Mann asked if 1t was not apparent
from the contract figures presented by
Mr. Norris that last December the paper
manufacturers themselves. alarmed at the
outlook for slack consumption. went of
into Mysteries and gave one-year con-
tracts right and left, and that these con-
tracts were generally signed by news
papers at the top price then prevailing.
Mr.. Norris agreed that such was the
case.
Mr.. Norris said that the figures from
the Philadelphia Inquirer-present price
$50. an increase Of $1c-meant an addi-
tional cost to that publication of $16S 900
a year.
At L. o'clock the committee took re-
cess until pm.