The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-04-17
HITCHCOCK TRYING
TODR|VE PRESS TO
TAFT'S AID?
Hot Campaign Is On in Atlanta
Against James R. Gray and Clark
Howell, Charging Violation of
Mere Regulation.
Crusade Is Significant Because Ma
tional Republican Convention
Will Meet Next Year.
6y r. =. WILSON.

ATLANTA, Ga. April Ills Post
master General Hitchcock trying 10
club American newspapers into the
support OF Taft for the Republican
denomination?
These FIVE men are in Atlanta:
James J. Britt, third assistant post
master-general.
Alexander Ackerman, special as
sistant to the attorney-seneral
Dan J. Betjeman, special assistant
TO the United States district attor-
ney. ...... ...
F. Carter Tate, United States dis
trict attorney.
And John w. Henley, his regular
assistant. ....-
These five men are meeting daily
with a special United States grand
jury. They are pounding the table
and shouting their reasons why
James r. Gray. editor of the Atlanta
Journal. and Clark Howell, editor of
the Constitution, should be indicted
for, conspiring to defraud the post
office.
The crimes" of which the editors
are accused are alleged violations OF
the pcstoffice sample copy regula-
tion--not violation OF any written
law, but the violation OF a regulation
imposed by Hitchcock himself
Law Places No Limit.
The written postoffice law does not
limit the number OF sample copies
publisher may send at second-class
rates Hitchcock's regulation says
that a publisher may not mail at the
second class rates Of l cent per pound
sample copies to the number OF more
than 10 per cent Of his bona fide cir
culation. All samples above 10 per
cent must pay / cent for each four
ounces Of weight.
IL Is alleged that on occasions the
Journal and Constitution have exceed
, ed their 10 per cent OF samplse copies
and have sent the excess at second
class rat es. Because they are uc-
cused of violating one of Hitchcocks
arbitrary regulations. Hitchcock's five
lawyers are calling these editors
criminals and demanding that they
be indicted. fined and imprisoned.
The evidence being presented to
the grand jury was collected year
ago. The two editors themselves
helped collect the evidence by putting
their Offices, books and clerks al tie
disposal OF postofice inspectors. Last
fall the Journal officers were indiGt-
ed. The alleged offense was that the
Journal in the fall Of 1909 published
a special edition Of the semi-weekly
Journal and mailed 10000 extrn
, copies of II at second-class rates. Tie
semi-weekly's regular circulation Is
about 60 1000 The amount OF which
the government claims II was de-
frauded was about $400.
In January, Federal Judge William
r Newman Quashed the indictments
against Gray and the Journal on
demurrer. The jurist said that II con-
stitutes no crime TO violate mere
regulation.
Washington Gets Busy.
Immediately Washington grew ex
cedeingly busy. Last fails grand
jury proceedings were handleo oy
Alderman alone. When the lnuict-
ment was nolled Hitchcock at once
dispatched Third Assistant Britt TO
Atlanta. An assistant for AckeTman
was appointed. The forces OF the
local district attorneys ofhce were
thrown in.
Then, In Marcn, Win n'e id"yo's
on the job and a special grand jury
assembled, but with no new evidence,
Hitchcocks aids again began their
task of trying to get" Gray and
Howell are putting in no defense, be-
caus ethey are forbidden to do So.
What is the meaning of all this stir
IN Atlanta? why for the first time
has a third assistant postmaster-gen-
eral taken personal charge OF prose
cution? why has Wickersham thrown
a special assistant into these IRON
a money standpoinD trifing cases? Is
n lust for some private administra-
ton revenge upon James Gray and
Clark Howell?
Rule Is Absurd and Unjust.
Hardly The significant thing Is
that there are hundreds Of newspa-
pers in the United States which, at
least technically, have violated the lo