West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-11-09
A Print Paper Crisis
Can Editorial from the Kansas City
Times)

Can Editorial from the Kansas CITY
Times)
The price OF print paper. which has
been steadily rising. is to be still fur
Their advanced after the first OF the
year. Next years prices will add from
80 to 60 per cent to the cost OF paper
to the newspaper publishers. The
country newspaper that has been pay
ing $4,000 a year for paper will here
after pay $4,000 and more. The met
ropolitan paper which has been pay
ing sl.0Oo.OoO will pay s1.5OO.OOO and
upwards.
This sudden and unexpected adj
vance in the cost of the newspapers
raw material is a matter OF very great
Importance, not merely TO the news
papers, but to the public. Scores OF
newspapers are likely to be put out
of business. The others must find
drastic means for increasing their rev.
enues or they must cut down their
service. In either case the public, Of
course, must finally foot the bill.
For that reason 1t seems necessary
to inform the public OF the develop
ments OF a situation which under or
binary circumstances would be re-
garded as merely the incidental pri-
vate trouble of the publishers.
The paper manufacturers have con-
tended that the abnormal situation was
due to increased demand and to the
higher cost of production. But the
gravity of the condition confronting
the newspaper business was such as
to impel Congress to direct an inquiry
by the Federal Trade commission to
discover whether these factors were
sufficient to warrant the tremendous
advance in price.
The hope that this inquiry would
get anywhere must be relinquished.
All that the commission apparently
can find to do is to recommend that
the size of newspapers be cut down.
This finding has been widely resent
ed.
The feeling evoked may be inferred
from letter sent by the Philadel-
phia North American to the Federal
Trade commission i'm reply to a sug-
gestion from the commission about
reducing the size of the Sunday edi-
ton. The North American says:
publishers confidently and reason
| ably loked to the commission to reveal
whether there was a shortage OF wood
| pulp, occasioned by cessation OF i'm
ports; lack of shipping facilities or
diversion OF labor to other industries
on account OF war business. They ex-
pected the commission to enlighten
| them as to increased costs of produc-
ton, the reasons therefor and their
relation to prices demanded; as to
whether prices are uniform. and as to
whether there is, or has been for q
year, real competition in the sale OF
paper. They awaited information as
to whether the paper making industry
of this continent is controlled, as has
been intimated, by a small board OF
Canadians and Americans, which regu-
lates output and prices, and thereby
exercises the power of life and death
| over many publishing enterprises.
but instead they receive a letter
which excludes the publishers side
| OF the controversy from consideration
and puts the authority of your COM
mission behind an ex parte finding for
the manufacturers.
THAT this is the effect of your ex-
traordinary action is shown by the
course of the stock market. Twenty
four hours before your letter reached
us its contents were carried by the
news agencies of the country, and
quotations for paper company stocks
took sensational rise; one common
stock, which has never paid a divi-
dend, jumped ten points and is still
strong Your letter added millions to
the stock market value of paper cor
porations' securities"
Until there is thorough investiga-
ton by the trade commission or some
| other authoritative body the RESPONSE
bility for print paper conditions can
not be placed. But the results OF the
situation must be faced by the news
papers as best they can.