The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-22
REFORM
PAPER INDUSTRY
is aim OF BOARD.
Manufacturers Arrive to Confer
With q. S. Commission.
Only a Third Signed Agreement
for a Fixed Price.
TO RESTORE COMPETITION
Believe This Will Insure Fair
Price in Future.
Publishers To Be Called Into
Conference on Price Fixing.

Washington. Feb. 22.-News print
paper manufacturers began arriving
here today for conferences with the
federal trade commission on a pro-
posal that the commission fix news
print prices for period of six months.
Manufacturers representing about one
third of the production of the United
States and Canada have signed the
proposal.
Those coming did not join in the
suggestion. They were asked to come
here by the commission. Restoration
of free competition in news print pa
per manufacture is the aim of the
commission. and if it accepts the pro-
posal, it will work with that purpose
in view. The commission, it was stated
today, hopes to find cure for condi-
tions and not a mere palliative. After
six months the commission feels that
conditions in the news print indus
! try will have been shaped so that un-
restrained competition will insure fair
and equita BILE prices.
Acceptance of the proposal hinges
on the attitude of the manufacturers
who are arriving here. Members of
| the commission are hopeful that most
| OF the big manufacturers will come
in ant that the present situation will
be broken.
Charges Not Dropped.
of justice rigid investigation has not
| been promised, it was made clear to-
| day, but it is not believed if indict-
ments are found, the cases will ever
come to trial if competition is re-
| stored The attitude of the courois
sion toward offenders is that correc-
| tive measures sometimes are more in
| the interest of the public than are
punitive measures
Many difficulties are seen in mt
ting any price fixing plan into opera
| ton. If the cost of production wa
the same in all mills, it would be a
| comparatively simple matter and a
| flat rate would be put on paper but
| costs are different in all mills and a
| scale of prices will be necessary. The
| question of redistribution also pre-
sents a puzzle. The commission prob
ably will work out some ARRANGEMENT
whereby newspapers as far as possible
would purchase their paper from the
nearest mill and thereby minimize
freight rates..
Publishers probably will be called
into the conferences if the price fixing
proposal is accepted and it is consid-
| cred likely distribution plan might
be proposed under which they would
be asked to use minimum of paper
to conserve the supplies.
Used 8 Million Cords Wood in 1915.
While the commission holds there
| is no actual shortage or news print il
does not wish to encourage an extrav.
agant use of it and create a real short
age. Manufacturers, it is understood
are willing under a distribution plan
to keep enough of their machines or
news print to care for all necessary
newspaper uses.
A census of pulp wood consumption
by the forestry bureau, in co-opera
ton with the news print manufactur
ers association announced today
show that 100 mills used in 1917
about 3,419,00O cords of wood ant
produced approximately 2.239, 900 tom
of pulp.