Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-06-03
Burden Should Be Placed on
Advertising and Not in In
creased Postal Rates, Isl
Contention,
ZONE SYSTEM WOULD
DESTROY MANY PAPERS
Senator Penrose Says if Let
ter Postage Is to Be In
creased Sentiment Is for
Raise in Second Class.

Washington, June War taxation
Of publishers advertising rates rather
than increase of their postage rates
was vigorously urged today by repre-
sentatives of national publishing in
terests at an informal conference with
senators who are redrafting the war
tax bill.
Newspaper, magazine, trade, relig-
ious. farm and many other publishing
interests joined in the plea. Senate:
Simmons. chairman Of the finance
committee; Senator Penrose, senior
republican member, and Senator
Smoot received the publishers rep
resentatives. The increased postage
rate would put many publishers out
of business and could not be passed
along they were told. while tax on
advertising receipts could be met by
increased advertising rates.
Hardwick Plan Condemned.
The plan proposed by Senator Hard
wick and indorsed by the postoffice
department, to leave present postage
rates on news portions Of publica-
tions and heavily increase that on the
advertising carried, was condemned
by the publishers us more detrimental
to their interests than the zone sys-
tenn, already rejected by the commit
tee.
In asking the publishers views,
Senator Simmons made it clear the
committee was determined to levy war
taxes of some sort upon publishers.
He suggested combination postage
and advertising tax but the publish
ers protested against any change in
mail rates. Senator Simmons pointed
out that letter rates are to be increas-
ed one-half, postcard rates doubled.
and parcel post shipments taxed, add
ing that there was strong sentiment
in congress against excepting second
class mail entirely from the increase.
Ready to Pay Taxes.
Newspapers are not desirous of es-
Gaping a tax" the committee was told
by Ebert II. Baker of the Cleveland
Plain Dealer, chairman of the legis-
lative committee of the American
Newspaper Publishers association.
But we would rather have q direct
tax on advertising receipts at fair
rate than any change in the postage
rates. Such a change might become
permanent. All of us prefer to have
the postage question handled separ-
ately from war tax legislation
To the statement by Senator Pen
rose that thousands Of letters are be-
l,>. h,, hnr nf q
protesting against Increased letter
rates IL second class rates are allowed
to stand, Mr.. Baker replied that the
1-cent letter postage league. con-
tributed to by manufacturers. was be-
hind the propaganda.
Must Be Increase.
This seems to be the psychological
time, however" Senator simmons in
terjected, "for publishers to accept a
postage raise that Is inevitable. Print
paper prices are high and the in
crease decided on might be less now
than when conditions are changed"
The amendment suggested by Sem
ator Simmons proposed to increase
second class rates by 25 or SO per
cent--to IL or ~ cents a pound
with a tax on advertising receipts Of
~ per cent.
'It is not wise or American to in
crease second class postage" said AL
Ian II. Richardson Of New York. rep
resenting the American Periodical
Publishers association. at is not
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