Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-15
POSTAL RATES SECTION
MAY UNDERGO BIC CHANGE.
Proposed Increase on Newspapers
and Magazines Results il Bit
\ ter Opposition.
DETECTION IN COMMITTEE
Several Representatives Join in At
tack. Which Proceeds While Large
Delegation Of Publishers Is Before
Senate Committee to Protest.
IBy Associated Press.

r.; tBy Associated Prcssl
WASHINGTON, May 14-Opponents
OF the Ways and Means Committee.
proposal greatly to increase posta]
| rates on newspapers and magazines
showed such strength during debate
OH the war tax bill to-day that Il an
pcarcd likely the postal section of the
measure would be one Of the fow "a
| be materially modified before passage
! The attack brought the first detection
| from tho ranks OF the committee it
! self. which had approved the. bill
unanimously, and whose members of
both parties, have consistently urged
its passage unamcndcd. Just before
adjournment tonight Representative
Sloan. Republican committeeman n,
told the House that while he would
stand behind every other provision In
the measure, he could not support a
postal increase amounting TO "a punt
tive expedition against newspapers and
magazines"
Representatives Madden of Illinois,
and Mccormick. OF Illinois: Meckcr. OF
Missouri. Republicans. and Moon, OF
tennessee. Democrat. and chairman OF
the Postal Committee. joined In the
attack. which proceeded while large
delegation of publishers was telling the
Senate Finance Committee that enact
ment OF the proposed increases would
force many publications out OF bus
mess.
GENERAL DEBATE N HOUSE
TO CLOSE THIS AFTERNOON
General debate I'm the House will
close at o'clock tomorrow. and the
Ii,
final vote before the end Of the week
The committee hopes to put through
most Of its proposals without import
ant amendment. for the opposition has
scattered its fire aeans, many indi.
vidual sections. and has developed q
concerted attack on only IL few OF them
When the measure goes over to the
Senate. however. many changes are
expected.
Representative Lonsworth. Republic
can, made long defense OF the bill
to-day for the committee. rciterating
that while there were some Unequal
tiles. passage was necessary to give
the needed war revenue. lie declared
80 per cent OF the taxes proposed
would fall upon the wealthy or those
OF moderate means.
Representative Meckcr predicted that
enactment OF the proposed postal in
crcases would mean tho end Of national
circulation for daily papers. and Rep
rcsentative Madden attacked the new
rate schedule as "thc most unjust tax
ever imposed by n government"
cha rman NJ loon presented two
amendments TO cut down the proposed
rates. Representative Mccormick sug-
ges,ed that the whole schedule should
he rewritten. so that the lcvics would
fall on publications in proportion 10
their incomes.
Representative Mccormick also criti-
rizcd the income tax section of the
bill. and declared tho proposed excess
profits taxes were oppressive and un-
just He predicted that the measure
as whole would work inmea Sura bic
harm to industry.
Spokesman for newspapers and
periodicals. large and small. and from
all parts OF the country, appeared be-
fore tho SENATE Finance Committee to-
day To attack as unreasonable and con-
hscatory the war revenue bill provision
which would create a zone system with
greatly increased rates for second
class mail matter. They declared IL
publications would be compelled to sus-
pend
Don c. Scitz. Of the New York
World. representing The American
Newspaper Publishers Association, said
the proposed increase was not a war
tax. but an effort to further rcpress
ana emhurrssa the newspaper industry"
lie tod the committee there already
had been big slump in business.
winch, II II continued, would paralyze
inc newspapers. The publishers, he
ADDED. we're not seeking special favors,
but wanted To be placed on the same
level with people engaged in other bust
ness.
MANY PUBLISHERS
WOULD HAVE TO QUIT
Arthur Dunn. speaking for the
smaller newspapers of the country, said
they could not stand the increase in
posta! rates with tho increased cost of
PRINT paper. and that many would be
compelled to 20 out of business &c the
bill was enacted
a similar view OF tho situation was
taken by Arthur ]. Baldwin, Of New
York. vice president OF the Associated
Business Papers, Incorporated, and
representing 500 trade and business
periodicals.
j. y. Moore. Of New York, repre-
scntinG tho Periodical Publishing AS
sociation. composed OF eighty-six Of
The leading magazines, said the in
crease would mean an added cxpendi-
ture OF more than $780, 900 In postage
I" members Of that organization.
number of representatives OF various
printers associations are also to ap.
pear.
This mornings session was devoted
To hearing protests against the pro-
posed taxes chewing gum, bonds
and amuscments. Representatives of
theatrical interests suggested that
cabaret performances be included in
the liDt OF taxable amuscmcnts, and