The labor advocate. [volume] (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1912-1937, 1917-01-13

Inc House POSt Office Committee
has favorably reported the annual ap-
preparation bill with rider which will
raise the rates on all second-class mat
ter from one to six cents pound based
on zone system Never before have
the publishers OF the country been con-,
fronted with more difficulties and un-
certainties. The unprecedented rise in
the cost of white paper and all supplies
entering into printing, are sufficient rea-
sons tor grave concern and worriment
To add such a provision contained in
the rider in question is the last straw
The zone system, itself, will paralyze
every publication of national circula-
tion; it will affect, first, the religious
papers-many of them exponents of
small and scattered denominations.
Many of these are already struggling
for existence. Second, the trade pa
pers, all of which are depending on a
national clientele-tlleir readers are
scattered IRON coast to coast. Third,
the great literary magazines, womens
papers, fashions, etc, publications de-
voted to music, the arts, and all such
subjects of common interest to the
whole country. Fourth the political
Weekles and reviews, and the widely
scattered weekly editions of daily news
papers. Fifth, the National farm papers
and particularly those devoted to special
interests as stock raising, bee culture.
the poultry, the nursery, and orchardrv
papers which bind in a common interest
these great branches of agriculture.
Last, but not least, all the trade union
publications, and the entire labor press,
will be seriously menaced. The pubica-
tons OF the American Federation of
Labor, the official journals of the inter-
national trade unions, news letters OF
central labor unions and the labor press
OF this country are highly educational
IN their character, and essential in the
, workers economic and industrial strug-
gle of today. To increase the item of
postage on these publications from 800
to 600 per cent will force many of them
out of existence.
The great majority of these publica-
tions are published east of the Mississ-
lppi River, and the bulk east of the Ohio
Klver Their average zone would be
l,oOo miles, and their postage 3 cents
per pound. Calculate your postage and
see what it would be. Its vexations of
applications would be tremendous!
Fiity-six thousand pist offices in eight
different zones! How many publishers
can stand 3 cents per pound under ex-
istlng conditions?
This proposed legislation again brings
into controversy the everlasting at
tempts of the Post Office Department
to increase the postage of publications
and to molest the workers opportunity
Tor knowledge and culture Each and
every attempt thus far made in the past
to Interfere with the dissemination OF
news by proposing to increase the rates
OF second-class mail matter has been
vigorously opposed by the American
Federation of Labor. During the
month OF July, 1911, about fifty labor
editors met in Chicago to consider the
proposed increase of second-class post
age rates, which the Post Office De-
partment then proposed. Having care
fully considered the effect any increase
in postage rates would have upon the
trade union publications, the labor ed
tors in attendance selected President
Gompers, Mr.. w. J. Adams and myself
as committee to vigorously protest
against any increase whatever in postage