The labor advocate. [volume] (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1912-1937, 1917-01-13
Life and Very Existence of the
Labor Press and Trade Union
Publications Are Threatened
Post Office Department Determined to Increase Cost of
Dissemination of News Interchange of Thought and
to Molest Opportunity for knowledge and Culture
by MATTHEW WOLL,
International
President international Press of America.

rates. Subsequently this committee ap-
peared before the Hughes Commission,
which was then authorized to investigate
the entire subject of second-cass mat
ter. he declarations of the Chicago
Conference of Labor Editors were clear
and definite, and emphasized strong
ly that organized labor and the labor
press were unalterably opposed to any
increase in postage rates. The commit
tee herein referred to directed the
Hughes Commissions attention to the
TACT that the effort then being made on
the part of the post-office officials to
increase the postage rates was the first
attempt on record of any civilized gov
ernment to increase postage rates, and
to make the interchange of ideas
among intelligent people more diff
cult and expensive. The committee al
so directed attention to the fact that by
an effective comparison with every other
department of the government the de-
mand Tor an increase in postage rates
was illogical and inadvisablef for the pub
lie good. After a most exhaustive in
vestigation the Hughes Commission of
1911 only proposed a two-cent per pound
for second-class postage. Postmaster
General Burleson, in his last message
suggested only ~ cents per pound, and
the Postmaster General was so impress
ed with the present difficulties of the
publishers that he sent letter to Judge
Moon, Chairman of the, House Post
office Committee, under date of Decem-
Der 4th, suggesting that on account of
the high cost of white paper no increase
be made at this time; and yet we find
thof SC rroo1eoI 1,
than that proposed by the Hughes Com
posed some TING ago by Postmaster
General Burleson, and at time when
conditions in the printing and publishing
industry are. worse than they have ever
been heretofore.
Every trade union and trade unionist,
every publisher of trade union publi-
cation, and the editor of every labor
paper should be alive to their own dan
ger of extinction, and should do their
part to defeat such discriminatory and
threatening legislation.
We want no molestation in the dis
semination of news-in the interchange
of thought-in the opportunity for
knowledge and culture
Whatever affects the industry as a
whole affects all its parts-labor of all
kinds, compositors, pressmen, electro
typers, stereotypers, photo-engravers,
bookbinders, papermakers, machinists,
and hundreds of others vitality interested
in proposition to curtail the output and
influence of most potent force which
is binding the country together. In the
printing industry alone there are approx
imately one-third of million of men
and women affected by this proposed
legislation.
Again | urge that you will not only
communicate with all members of Con-
gress, but that you will also urge upon
your members and readers the fact that
Congress is adding still another burden
in that they are thus levying another
tax upon the intelligence and culture of
the country.
Every trade union, every trades
uniOnist, their friends, associates
and sympathizers, every reader and
member of organized labor should
Immediately protest against this
contemplated legislation. Act nOw!!
Don't delay until it is too late. This
is urgent!!!