The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1917-01-03
MANUFACTURERS
FLEE FROM MEETING
Refused to Discuss ReasOnal lleness Of
Newsprfnt Prices. Paper Jobbers
Also Planned for High Prices.

opened here today by the Federal
Trade Commission in it's newsprint
paper investigation came to sudden
end when paper manufacturers re-
fused to discuss the rcasonab aness Of
newsprint prices. Both publishers and
jobbcrs had been heard.
The manufacturers declared they
had not had time to study tables
prepared by the commissions invcs-
tigators purporting to show huge
profits. Members of the trade com
mission announced that despite an ap-
parent unwillingness by the manufac-
ton, the commissions report would
be issued probably in about ten days
and that such recommendations to
congress would be made as we're
thought necessary.
at the same time it was said the
commission would be in position to
announce whether it's consideration OF
a paper distribution plan showed an
actual paper shortage and a need for
distribution under supervision Of the
commission.
II was strongly intimated during
the day that facts uncovered by the
commission will be turned over TO
tho department OF Justice. 1t was an
nounccd that if the commission failed
TO relieve conditions, some other GOV
crnmcntal agency might be able to
help. The report to congress, il Is
understood, will score manufacturers
Tor raising prices to the extent OF
forcing many small publishers out Of
business.
Manufacturers proposed the distri-
button plan at hearing two weeks
ago. Today's hearing was a resump-
tion OF that proceeding, interrupted
to study the plan and give the man
ulacturcrS moro time to go over The
commissions cost of production fig
urcs.
Publishers tcstifying today blamed
both manufacturers and iobbcrs for
prevailing conditions in the news
paper world. 1t was declared that
jQbbcrs had taken advantage of the
last two weeks to try to frightcn pub
fishers into paying high prices by
claiming shortage existed which
would prevent many publishers filling
hnt I,. tl,0
More testimony was brought out also
concerning alleged refusals to sell to
publishers, and regarding different
prices quoted by the same man,lfaGi
turcrs. 1t was charged that ah-.cf-
fort was being made TO discourage
buying associations through which
publishers hope to purchase their pa
per more chcaply.
Publishers, it was said during tho
day, are going ahead rapidly with
their plans for constructing paper
making plants of their own. BY the
middle of 1918, said a. j. Mcintyre,
paper expert Of the Newspaper Pub
fishers association, the publishers
will be virtually independent Of the
paper makers.
a statement given out tonight by
Frank p. Glass, chairman OF the ex-
ccntive committee of the committee
on paper Of the American Newspaper
Publishers association, said:
This investigation has been go
ing on for over five months, having
been initiated by request of the
Ncwsprint Manufacturers association
for such an investigation, the man
ufacturcrs claiming that investigation
would show that they had been con-
ductng their business i'm the proper
way. The Federal Trade Commission
has apparently pursued the invcsti-
cation more seriously and has gone
further than the manufacturers an
ticipatcd when they made their re-
quest. n
: The practical result is precisely
that which | predicted in my state
mcnt to the commission on Dec. r.
There has been delay of seventeen
days and nothing beneficial to the
suffering newspapers has followed so
far. In the meantime many con-
tracts for tonnage for 1917 have been
closed at the prevalent high prices re-
sultng from the fright OF publishers
over the belief that q dangerous pa
per famine existed and this notwth-
standing the Trade Commission earn