Albuquerque morning journal., 1916-12-16
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rsy noea,aa JOURNAL SPECIAL lsAssp wissl

-
Washington, Dec. l5.-Publisi 8
I OF the country's larger dailies, 1t
indicated after day of conteren z
/ here today, will oppose as lmpracuE
a proposal that the federal trade cCt,
mission undertake supervision of ~
distribution Of American and Ca
, dian news print paper available in Nvn
/ United states. A publishers comnfw
/ tee will meet committees Of manufa%
Iturers and iobbers and federal tradf
icommission tomorrow to consider ~
apportionment plan suggested by tht
manufacturers.
! Distribution under the federal trade
commission, some cf tho publishers or
Ibig newspapers insisted today not
only would be Illegal, but would not
! solve the two most important prob
; lens facing newspaper owners high
prices and an alleged shortage OF pa
Ipers. Consequently there will be an
Iinslstent demand that the manufac-
Iturers agree to increased production
! by diversion of paper-making ma
chimes back to the production of news
print
Many machines are said to have
lpui ON cheaper grades Of paper be-
cause t'lere has been a greater preflt
i'm their manufacture.
want to Reach Agreement.
While the publishers of the larger
'rcwspapers aa represented by officers
Of the American Newspaper publish
ers' association and others, were meet
ing, small publishers conferred to de-
eide what should be their attitude to-
ward the distribution proposal which
many of their number favored because
II would assure them of at least some
supply of paper Tonight representa-
tlvos Of all the publishers met together
to form committee to meet the trade
commission, the manufacturers and
the iobbers Tuesday They sought to
amalgamato their policies as far as
their interests would permit, so as TO
avoid a division in their ranks in to-
morrow's conferences.
Any distribution plan that might be
worked out according to the repre-
sent8tivcs of the large papers, would
force tie bigger publications 10 accept
on contract smaller quantities of pa
per for next year than their actual
needs require. This, they declare,
would f0rcc them in the open market
for the remainder making 1T neces-
sary for them TO bid against smaller
newspaper owners, who do not buy on
contract or who buy IN small QuahIl-
ties, thereby raising the price to stu
higher levels.
CoIluslon Is Alleged
There was indication Of a growing
belief among publishers today that a
complaint filed with the department.
Of Justice against the paper manufac-
turers several days should be pressed
II charged collusion to raise prices
and discrimination against certain
manufacturers in refusing to sell to
them
Publishers who met here today did
not comment on news from New York
that members Of the federal trade
commission who will meet manufac-
mrers there had received a proposal
that the commission fix a flat price
for print paper at the mills. 1t Is
known though, that they will de-
maud that any settlement that may
GROW out Of tomorrow's conference
take into Consideration the price sit
uauon,
10 Work Ont Plan.
Today's conferences In Washington
and New York were suggested by the
trade commission Tuesday when the
commissions hearing on the news