West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-12-21

AAoAANAa A~0OtNNA AhAANA
WASHINGTON. Doc. is The Feder-
al Trade Commission. iu conference TO-
Iay with committees OF newspaper
publishers. paper manufacturers aud
,obbors IN au cuort To work out "A
Dian Tor relieving the news print pa
per situation, addressed uquirios to
All the interests concerned throughout
,nc country, to ASCERTAIN If an actual
Aews print paper snorlngo existed.
Publishers OF the larger papors were
asked II they viii rcnnqusn some OF
,ne paper thoy have obtained contracts
.or during 1916 small publishers were
asked the extent ot tnoir 1871, needs
manufacturers were diroctcd TO inform
ne COMMISSION concerning 1917 CON
tracts ANA hcw next years production
ANA Job0oIs were requested to ,ulnisn
general Information regarding Ae
amount oi news print papor tnoy wlIl
handle.
Tho conference discussed plan
proposed by manufacturers undor
wnlch large publishers would giyo up
ave per cent Ui uoir 1917 contract sup
phes To MI the nocus OF Hnai pdu-
nshers. There was groWuug oulee-
uon ON the part Ol the large paDnsn-
ars TO this proposal. Tho contention
was advanced that no actual shortage
sAists, ana that manuiaCturors are TO
Vlame If thoro is shortage next year.
rIans Oi the puDusners ior nuanciuR
gaper mills to heip take care ul news-
PAPER needs, it was SAID touay. are tax
.ng rapid shape. some Publishers aIo
~ the opinion this rs the only way TO
delp the situation They say manu-
.acturers cannot be forced to Increase
,neir news print production and that
nc publishers of The country must ar
angc to care Tor thcr own noods or
% out of business.
The committees OF publishers, man
iiacturers and jobbcrs viii be called
-hto conference again. probably next
week. TO discuss the situation. II is
expected the replies to the inquiries
viii have been received by then ana
Ietails OF the plan OF distribution pro.
posed viii have been worked out to
some extent.
4 statement issued by the commits
ion today at the conclusion oil the
onfercnces after referring TO tcle-
,rams sent by associations oil publish
RS, manufacturers aud jobbcrs, said.
THE commission finds. however
nat many publishers and particularly
ne smaller publishers of the country
are not affiliated with associations.
ana therefore, will not be directly
cached through the kilograms Sent
Jut by the publishers committees
such publishers are requested by the
commission to send full Information
concerning their present situation a6
supply and their minimum require
ments for next year direct 10 the Office
Of the commission i'm Washington"
Commissioner Dables argued that q
was the duty OF the Federal Trade
Commission only TO report facts to
Congress, and to make certain recon-
mendations in the light OF these facts
we have no power" he said, ITO con.
troll the distribution OF print paper ex
cept as manufacturers wish u5. The
proposition should come from those
who are engaged in the business"
Heroic measures 20 end the news
print paper famine confronting the
newspapers OF the country are fore
5hadowod ass % result oi the public
hearings by thc Federal Trade Conn
mission, which have been attended by
representatives of the manufacturers.
publishers and iobbcrs Interested
The country publishers are more
vitality Interested than amy others as
hey are required 90 pay more than
double the price al which the city pub
fishers can obtain paper At the hear
ings before tbe Federal Trade Com
mission tho interests of tho country
publishers have been wol looked af
ter by thc American Press Aasocla
ton of Ncw York. whose representa-
tive Arthur W Dunn. presented tbo
case OF tnc small town publishers in
such way that the members of tine
commission we're greatly interested.
Among other Things DR. Dunn said.
"Tho American Press ss0cIafion at
ihIs hearing represents exactly 4722
daily and weekly papors or Che United
states
"Tho American Press Association
has been iu oxIatcucc for about forty
years and during that time it has
been doing business with newspaper
publishers throughout the country and
is in close relation with The men who
conduct and own Tho papers in the
smaller cities and towns of the coun-
try ln all Che years OF tbis close as-
s0ciauon there never has occurred
with respect to the country papers
condition as serious as that which
now coufronts them Thcy are facing
a situation which. if continued, wld
mean ruin 20 many men who have for
years been conducting prosperous bus
mess concerns.
"The larger papers OF tbe country
published ia the cities face a serious,
situation and are making YieQW
complaint when paying $3.50 ~
dred pounds for paper, hQt.
try papers are paylQ6
snd ere warm -