Evening star., 1916-12-12
TELL
OF PAPER FAMINE
Supplies Difficult to Obtain,
Even at Greatly Increased
PROFITS OF MILLS SHOWN

When the hearings in connection with
the federal trade commissions irves-
tigation into the rise in prices of news
print paper were reopened today in the
New Willard Hotel, publishers from all
parts of the country, particularly pub
fishers of the smaller dailies and the
weeklies. appeared to give figures
showing the increases in the cost of
paper. Many of them told the commits
sion that it now was practically i'm
possible to make contracts. The in
creases reported by these men were
generally from about 50 to Sc per hun
dred pounds.
7. T. Ansberry, representing the
News Print Paper Manufa cturers' Asso-
citation, said that his members had lost
interest in the commissions inquiry in
view of the fact that it already had
made public report in which the
commission apparently had formed it's
conclusions on the investigation. He
said he saw 10 reason for going on
with the hearing at this time At any
rate. he said, it was unfair for the COM
mission to hand to the manufacturers
present on the day of the hearing a
mass of statistics and expect them to
give testimony on them when they had
not even had a chance to examine them.
He asked for an adjournment to give
the manufacturers time to study the
statistics. The commission went right
ahead with its hearing. listening to the
testimony of the publishers.
Contracts for Full Output.
H B. Warner of Lexington. n. c., told
the commission that he had letters from
paper-manufacturing companies saving
that they had contracted for their full
output of paper for 1917. Pressed by
Mr. Ansberry for copies of the letters.
Mr. Warner said that they had been
placed in the hands of the Department
of Justice. He also charged that one
publisher was unable to get even a quo
tation on paper because of his activity
in testifying at previous hearings of
the commission. Commissioner Davies
asked for the name of this publisher for
the confidential use of the commission
and Mr.. Warner said he would give it
this afternoon He said that he prob
ably would have to furnish his own
name for the same reason if he con-
tinued his activities.
Arthur w. Dunn of this city, repre-
senting the American Press Associa-
ton, an organization of 4,5OO papers
mostly weeklies, said that tabulations
members of the association showed that
two years ago they paid from $225 to
So per hundred pounds, and that they
now were paying from $5.75 to SIS per
hundred. He said they now were COM
PEELED to pay the freight and that they
do not now receive discount for cash.
He promised the commission that he
would tabulate information contained
in many other letters which he had re-
ceived, and would furnish the tabula-
tions and the original letters for the
confidential record of the hearings.
All Experience Difficulties.
All of the publishers told of the diff
culties of obtaining supplies for their
publications.
It was brought out that prices vary
largely and that publishers buying direct
from mills obtain their paper much
cheaper than those buying through job
bers.
L. B. Palmer. manager Of the American
Newspaper Publishers Association, said
the price generally throughout the coun-
try would exceed 8 cents a pound on con-
tracts when purchased direct from the
mill, One mill, the Great Northern Paper
Company, he said. however, had sold
paper recently at less than IN cents.
Paper prices in Georgia, according to
r.. L. McKenney of the Macon News
and the Columbus. Ca. Sun. vary great
Nv. He had purchased. paper. he said.
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