Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1917-04-03
FIXING PRICES Of
NEWS PRINT PAPER
MANY PEOPLE UNABLE TO KNOW
WHAT FEDERAL TRADE COM
MISSION DID.
HERE'S WHAT THEY DID DO
In Order That Publisher Get Low
Price He Must Sign Agreement
to Help Others in Need-Not
Enough to Go Around.

Judging from numerous requests for
information coming to the Paper
Trade Journal a considerable misap-
prehension apparently exists as to
just what the Federal Trade Commits
sion has been doing in the way of
fixing prices on new print paper.
The commission has no power arbi-
trarily to fix the price of any COM
modify. 1t specifically disclaims the
intention to exercise any such power
in the matter of news print prices,
but makes it plain that it is endeav-
oring to act simply as an arbitrator
between manufacturers and publish
ers as to what shall constitute a fair
and reasonable price for news print
paper. After due consideration the
commission has simply expressed the
opinion that 212 cents per pound con-
stitutes such a price so far as the
seven manufacturers are concerned
who have requested the commission
to exercise its offices in the way
mentioned and it has added the names
of several other mills, which in its
impression could be reasonably ex-
pected to sell at this price and has
stated that several smaller mills
could not be reasonably asked to sell
at this figure. 1t has been the hope
of the commission that the mills who
did not originally sign the agreement
to abide by it's decision of fair and
reasonable price for news print could
be quickly persuaded to become a
party to the agreement, but, so far
as can be learned, few if any of the
mills not included among the original
signers have to date been added to
the list.
The impression appears to prevail
that with wood pulp quoted at $50 and
likely to go higher and become ex-
tremely scarce during the summer,
the price of 21a cents for news print
suggested by the commission is not
justified.
AS a concession to make them eligi-
BILE to obtain the advantage of the
2R-cent price the newspaper publish
ers were requested to sign a paper
agreeing at stated intervals to give
up five per cent of such quantities of
news pritn paper as they might have
under contract in order that this may
be distributed among the smaller pub
fishers who are said to be precari-
ously situated as regards obtaining
supplies of news print. Up to last
week, however, it is stated that prob
> ably not enough free tonnage of news
print had been provided for in this
way to insure the success of the
scheme.
The investigation that is being con-
Quoted into news print prices by the
, Federal grand jury for the Southern
district of New York has no connec-
ton with the price fixing plan of the
Federal Trade Commission, except
that the facts ascertained by the COM
mission in its investigation of the
: news print industry were transmitted
' to the department of justice
Shortage of News Print Recognized.
There is considerable pessimism
6 now among certain officials of the
!, commission relative to the supply and
demand of news print. 1t is now
practically conceded that there is not
q enough paper to go around, especially
[ If the most stringent economies are
e not procticed by the publishers. 1t is
S thought that officials of the commits
1 sion will visit a number of the larger
cities in an effort to convince the
e publishers that they will have to cut
y down or suffer the consequences,
e which will probably be, that some of
/ the papers will have to closeup shop
= for want of paper at any price.