The Washington herald., 1916-09-01
COMMISSION APPEALS
TO NEWS PRINT MEN
Federal Trade Body Pleads for Small
Publishers.

Fearing that the present shortage OF
news print paper and the high prices
now being charged will soon force many
OF the smaller daily and weekly papers
TO suspend publication, the Federal Trade
Commission has appealed to the News
Print Manufacturers Association In q
circular letter, asking the manufactur-
ers to come to the rescue Of the smaller
concerns by supplying them with news
print paper at a reasonable rate.
The manufacturers are asked II they
cannot operate their mills on each alter
nate Sunday or temporarily curtan some
other grade Of paper and thus increase
the output OF news print paper. The
present price Is from to cents, as
against 3 to cents the first Of the year.
The Commissions letter follows:
while the Commissions print paper In
yestigation is not yet completed, the IN
formation already collected shows that a
large number of the smaller daily and
weekly newspapers are paying from TO
s cents a pound for their news print
paper in comparison with q price Of from
TO cents at the beginning OF the year.
These papers either do not buy on con-
tract or when their contracts have ex-
pired have been unable to renew them.
Reports OF the increasing shortage OF
paper have made these publishers fearful
lest they be forced to suspend puohca-
supply or the prohibitive price which they
may be compelled to pay. As is readily
appreciated, they cannot shift the IN
creasins burden OF paper cost to their
advertisers or their subscribers as read
ily as the larger city dailiss.
Perform Useful Service.
These smaller papers perform most
useful service in their respective local.
ties and 1t would be a national calamity
II they were forced to suspend. It would
also be a serious blow to the news-prtnt
Industry, for while their individual ton
nages are small, in the aggregate they
amount TO a considerable proportion OF
the total consumption.
TT conditions in the industry are to
become as serious this fall as trade re-
ports indicate, 1t occurs TO the commits
sion that the news-print manufacturers
as an association might adopt such meas
ures as would prevent the possible sus-
pension OF these unprotected newspapers.
In order to stimulate discussion OF such
remedial measures, therefore, the COM
mission takes the liberty Of propounding
the following inquiries:
What steps has your association taken
Or can It take TO insure newspaper pub
fishers not protected by contracts that
they will be supplied with paper at
reasonable price?
What steps has your association taken
Or can It take to restrain by legitimate
means any Of its members or any or
the rniddlcmen handling news-print from
charging unreasonable and prohibitive
prices, especially for current or market
salesT
What steps has your association taken
Or can it take to bring about the op-
grafton Of your mills each alternate Sun
day or for an extra shift every Sunday,
Or to transfer machines to news-print
paper that are now operating on other
grades until the output of paper Is suf-
Hcient to prevent the possible suspension
Of any of the newspapers unprotected by
contracts?
In regard to the first inquiry. would
Il not be possible for your association to
make a public announcement that every
newspaper publisher will be taken care
81 and if necessary create a protective
eoniEnittee whose duty It shall be to
see that all publishers regardless of con-
tracts shall be kept supplied with a fair
share OF the paper manufactured? Such
action on your part would do much to
allay the panic conditions now exist
ing.
Cooperative Action Urged.
In regard to the second inquiry. would
Il not be advisable for the executive COM
mittee Of your association to confer with
every manufacturer and every important
Iobber selling news print with the view
Of obtaining cooperative action to pre-
cent the charging of unreasonable and
prohibitive prices and to restore con-
hdcnCe among the publishers?
In regard to the third inquiry. could
hot negotiations be Immediately taker
Hp with the officials of the labor unions
TO obtain their consent to work each
alternate Sunday or for one extra shift
each Sunday for the next two or three
months, or would not the temporary
curtailment of some other grades Of
paper in order to increase the output of
news print result in less hardship than
to allow the shortage Of the latter to
continue? The additional output of paper
Obtafnable by adopting either or both Of
these plans would be sufficient to keep
a large number of the smaller papers
supplied
Reports indicate that the newspaper
publishers are making serious efforts tc
sut down waste and curtail consumption
and it is the purpose of this inquiry tc
ascertain whether the news-print manu-
lacturers cannot do more than they have
already done to increase the supply ana
insure the equitable distribution of news
print paper. This is a situation, IL Il
s as serious as reported, that calls for
patriotic action by all parties concerned.
WIN you, therefore, give these sugges-
tons your immediate and serious con-
sideFation and let the commission have
the reply Of your association at the
Earliest possible moment"