Arizona republican., 1917-05-14
Newspapers and the War Tax

Newspapers and the War T ax
 The Douglas Dispatch is anxious than anX ious, do it's bit. When newspapers all the country were teegraphing congressman, protesting against the proposal to levy a corporation newspapers, them five per of their advertis ing collections and increase second class mail the Dispatch wired Arizona congressman informing them that the proposed had it's full approval Con- corning the protestants the Dispatch says:
 "A who begrudges any part of the profits he is making a cause for which many have died and many more will offer their lives, is a kind indi- vidual that is difficult to classify A who thinks the conserving of his money is of consequence than the lives of heroic human beings who make the supreme sacrifice the battle field merely taking up the world they are unworthy to hold title to the sovereignty of citizenship"
 not think he Dispatch has gone into this thing its full depth The corporation tax on news papers do think is objectionable, provided it fits in with other proposed corporation Nor there be any serious objection the proposal in postal rates. We would if the first class rates were also increased, The mails bur dened with many letters Postal rates so low that many a business man, and especially newspaper editors, confront their morning mail with dread ard almost with despair, burdened they with useless matter, the consignment of which the waste paper basket takes some time
 But there could be defense of the proposition to put of five per advertising coec- tons, unless the government needed the money so badly that it would put a similar tax the chief of income of every other business in the land
 Advertising is the merchandise of the newspapers. The s may say. the wholesale price of it is made of the salaries of the advertising de- partment proporonate share of the expense of the managerial editorial and mechanical departments The selling price of advertising on which it was pro- posed to levy the five per represented by the collections
 If the government promised all business five per cent of it's recepts-dry goods clothing and shoe, drug tobacco confectionery book stores etc. down the peanut stands, the newspapers of could not be heard complain of like their advertising receipts
 But there proposal any other bus- in such five per receipts. The proposal appears to have been based the sumption that advertising collections represented profit, pure velvet Congress afterward was better informed and the proposal was abandoned so that discussion of it becomes purely academic
 Another fact which may appear irrelevant is that comparatively few newspapers making have ever made cent That has been particularly the case within the last two years-since the advance in tho cost of print paper It is said that the monthly bills of the Kansas City white paper are s75- 600 more than they two years ago. The addi- tional burden felt by every newspaper in the country. Yet the papers did reduce the size of their papers but quietly pocketed their losses cir culation. In many they obliged to stffen their advertising rates the selling price of form of merchandise but in no the increased rate made to fully the increased of production In all other classes of business wholesale cost price advances the retail price increased pro- portionatey.
 Newspapers rule pretty loyal They do not now begrudge part of their profit any part of their receipts which may represent profit at all but business institutions they not want to be mulcted for a greater proportion than other businesses are. The newspapers have been very helpful to the government They have devoted much space without any charge to its needs They have crysalized public opinion support of the gov ernment and have expedited it's work in many ways. But for the newspapers the public very slowly what the government wants Enlistments for instance could not have progressed they have but for the work of the newspapers And but for the newspapers. in the present situation, the selective draft all would be chaos confusion and dark throughout the land