The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-17
ACQUITS THE A. P.
Attorney General Finds News
Gathering Association
Is Not Guilty of Violating the
Antitrust Law.

>
General Gregory in a letter addressed
to James M. Beck, counsel for the
Sun Printing and Publishing associa
no ground for action by the federal
authorities against the Associated
Press under the antitrust law The
attorney generals letter, dated March
~ and made public today, follows in
part
Il have given consideration to the
complaint against the Associated
Press for alleged violations of the fed
eral antitrust act presented to my
predecessor by you as counsel for the
Sun Printing and Publishing associa-
ton.
Broadly stated, the news distrib-
uted by the Associated Press comes to
1t In two ways:
First, from the reports made to it
by the various members of happen
lnSs IN their respective localities, and,
second, from correspondents, report
ers and other agencies employed by it
directly. The news of the world thus
brought together is then distributed
by the Associated Press to its mem
bers, principally of course by tele-
graph. To that end, it leases and OPP
crates in the neighborhood of 10000
miles of telegraph lines.
The principal grounds of COM
plant are:
"One-that the members of the As
ISOLATED Press are prevented or at
least seriously hindered from obtain
ing news by purchase or otherwise
from any rival agency.
'Two-that the members of the AS
ISOLATED Press are prohibited from
furnishing the news collected by them
respectively to any newspaper which
Is not a member
"Three-That through the opera
ton of the right of protest above de-
in crixr To-
callty applying for membership can
not be elected without the consent of
the members in that locality.
Assuming that the kind of serv-
ice in which The Associated Press is
engaged is interstate commerce Ga
question not free from doubt), [ am
nevertheless of the opinion that it is
no violation of the antitrust act for
group of newspapers to form an as
ISOLATION to collect and distribute
news for their common benefit and to
That end to agree to furnish the news
collected by them only to each other
or to the association; provided that no
attempt is made to prevent members
from purchasing or otherwise obtain
ing news from rival agencies. And if
that is through the corollary must be
ing to form and maintain such an or
may determine who shall |
be and who shall not be their asso-
ciates.''
Clean Bill of Health.
Washington, March 17.-Frank B. !
Noyes, president of the Associated !
Press, referring to the attorney gem
erals letter, said:
THE clean bill of health given the |
Associated Press by the attorney gem
aral after his study of the complaint |
Of the New York Sun is of course
highly gratifying to the membership
IF the organization.
1T is the more gratifying because
t was the result of long, careful,
md searching scrutiny by the depart
nent of justice of the object and
,orm of the organization, its scope and
is methods.
1T is convincing proof of the utter
ack of foundation of such attacks as
hat of The Sun. that such an investi-
,at1on found nothing in the methods
nd practices of the orga nization |
properly subject to the attacks made
~ the Sun and nothing in it's bylaws
t all Objectionable save one section
a provision similar to which had
een upheld many years ago by the
highest court of New York; that has
cen dead letter and never operative
n any sense since its adoption at the
ime the present orga nization was
Ormed in 1900.
ITO those of us who have had the
of the conduct of the
associated Press, this opinion of At
orney General Gregory is the more
leasing because he has accepted the
un'S contention (though with some
OuDt) UnaI a Iu1l responsibility at
lched to the organization under the
nti-truSt laws and has therefore
aSed his scrutiny and his eNonera-
on upon the Suns own contention.
'eThose charged with the rlanag e-
lent of the Associated Press have en-
to govern it's conduct with a
Ill appreciation of the undoubted I
act that it's course should be, not
My legally but ethically, controlled I
V the highest standards and in this
Ie have felt that we were succeeding t
so far as it is humanity possible to
lcceed.
s'It is not the custom of the Asso- {
lated Press to either Shrek for or
brink from investigation of any of t
s activities-if fair, we are content" i
.