Arizona republican., 1917-04-22
Advised as War Measure

Some weeks ago newspapers of this country, those belonging the A. N P A., notified through official bulletin of the association their present consumption of white paper 25 per They told that the country faced a shortage under existing conditions nearly million tons of paper. This notification issued before engaged in It further suggested to the papers that they place their a 30 per basis and eliminate features supplements and special matter.
 The last issue of the Editor and Publisher, in editorial gives some advice to the government points out that an investigation of the shortage to which attention called than q year ago conducted by the Federal Trade Commission and de- veloped the fact that the shortage largely arti- fcial that it had been deliberately created by the print manufacturers and that the eiorbtant prices then charged, but since slightly lowered chiefly due manipulation. IL found that the output the mills was so manipulated O main tain this shortage
 Notwithstanding these disclosures the government has done nothing about it. but has requested the manufacturers do something The Editor and Pub fisher urges the government do something besides request, enforce it's authority and compel the ufacturers to adopt business policies clearly de- manded in the public interest," It urges congress. a measure give the Federal Trade Comms- sion power end the shortage by directing ma ximum production by the mills.
 The Editor and Publisher further says:
 With the entrance of the United States into the world war; demands for space for will be mandatory. The national welfare demands that the newspapers shall be handicapped in their of giving the people the full the part being played by the nations forces in the great war To assert that newspapers may effectualy serve the public interests when compelled to restrict their space for and matter to 90 cent of their total space is to utter sheer nonsense
 To prescribe, a remedy for the artificial short age that feature matter be eliminated from papers is to recommend to publishers wholly suicidal policy Features. developed through years of patient endeavor to make them useful, and which have for newspapers distnciveness and the asset of cial value, may be thrown aside without mpairng publishers asked sacrifice their enterprises annul long years of constructive work because the Federal Trade Commission is not permitted to to the manufacturers Thou Shalt"
 Economy the print is imperative but there is a point beyond which it go, and must not go There is point beyond which curtail- ment of consumption a weakened and charac- terless newspaper which would be national calamity
 In his historic address to the congress. President Wilson, referring the evils of concealed intrigue in autocratic governments, said: "They happily impossible where public opinion commands and in sists upon full information concerning all the tion's affairs"
 The president thus places the influence of free press. properly among the factors essential to the national service faces the press of America. That opportunity cannot be met with adequate of public service if the newspapers to be crippled through manipulated shortage of white paper.