Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-13
WANT TO DEVISE PLAN
FOR PAPER DISTRIBUTION
Makers Offer to Meet Committees OF
Editorial and Publishers
Associations.
PROPOSAL FOLLOWS HEARING
Owners OF Newspapers Tell Federal
Trnde Commission OF Wide Differ
cnccS in Prices In Various Parts
OF the Country.


y, A..oc'r;"d Press
w HSiilNiIoN, December Eat the
conclusion OF the Federal Trod. Cam
missions hearing on print paper prices
to-day the manufacturers proposed To
meet committees of the National Edi-
torial Association and the American
newspaper Publishers Association Ia
work out. for the commissions an
proval. plan for AN equitable dis
piou'oh or the stocks of print paper.
Chairman Hurley. Of the commission
asked the publishers. manufacturers
and jobbcrs to hold separate meetings
on Friday to fran" their plans and
appoint committees to meet with the
commission on Saturday
The manufacturers proposal came AS
an unexpected development when the
Trade Commission. after finishing with
publishers AS witnesses called on the
manufacturers to present their case.
Newspaper owners had told Of wide
"inerenc"s In paper prices in various
PARTS OF the country and OF the in
ability Of many small publishers to
obtain paper at any prices
IMPOSSIBLE TO ANALYZE:
STATISTICAL. FACTS
Counsel for The Newsprint Manufac-
turers' Association declared il had been
impossible to analyze in so short Il
time statistical facts presented by the
commissions investigators at the out
set of the hearing: that the chief com
plant WAS from small publishers un-
able 20 get paper because of the in
creased demand. and that the manu-
facturers after comforting. had d..
cided they were open TO any propose
for an cquita BILE distribution Of their
product
There Was an inclination on the part
OF some OF the publishers present 10
hold back until told by members of the
Trade Commission that AN agreement
10 accept the commissions services in
meeting tho distribution problem did
not Interfere III amy way with the in
vcstisation into price conditions.
Testimony was given to-day by II.
y. Narner. chairman Of the newsprint-
PAPER committee Of the North Carolina
Press Association: !. l. Sheriff.. Of Con
cord, " C., secretary "f the North
Carolina Press Association. and J. l..
Horne. or tho Rocky Mount Telegram.
ASKS THAT MANUFACTURER
he PROSECUTED
Mr. Warner also nled with the De-
partment 81 Justice during the day
request thar paper manufacturers b"
prosecuted for alleged combination.
Ills charge WAS that North Carolina
publishers who formed "A committee 10
purchase paper were told by the big
PAPER making concerns that the mills
could not supply them because tht
manufacturers had sold all their 1911
ou,pu, TO their old customers.
Most Of the newspapers OF the coun-
try. including some >. 600 small dailies
and wecklies. We're represented directly
or through national and State publish
ing associations.
Tables prepared hy the commission
were offered TO show the following
conditions:
To,n Canadian aud United states
averages show no increase III cost OF
PAPER manufacture In the first half Of
1915 IS compared with 1915.
Selling expenses in the first half OF
al6 were lower than in 1915. and
profits per ton were higher. The per-
centage'of profit on investment. figured
book Investment. increased from
1872 per cent in 1915 FOR nineteen
companies. To ga per cent for fifteen
companies in the first half of 1916.
Rates OF profit the cost of invest
mcnt would have been even higher
could the figures have been obtained.
Market prices Increased in 1916 TO Il
much greater extent than contract
prices.
COSTS LESS TO MAKE
PAPER IN CANADA
Canadian mills are manufacturing
print paper at about $3.50 a ton less
than American mills.
Both production and imports in
creased in the first half Of 1916 over
1915 and 1914. After deGuctinG en-
ports the quantity available for do
nestle consumption in the first half OF
1916 was II per cent greater than in
the first half of 1915. and q per cent
greater than in the second half of that
year Deliveries, however. more than
took care OF the increase. and stocks
on hand at all points decreased l0.340
tons in the first half of 1915. =
The statistical data presented by the
commission, phases OF which those who
testified were asked to explain, con-
'luded/ with series Of questions as
10 possible remedies. They were:
What measures can be adopted 10
bring about more equitable dstri-