New Britain herald., 1918-05-11
ROOSEVELT REPLIES
 TO BURLESON DEFI
Insists Discrimination Has Been
 Evident AainSt Publishers

Dc'D tO S@'iD ter General Burleson's challenge that he prove his charge that the government was showing favoritism in it's enforcement of the Espionage act. issued statement yesterday in which he cited the governm ents at. tacks upon certain publications which had periodically upheld the war" while other newspapers, such as the Hearst publications, which had "opposed the war or attacked our allies or directly or indirectly aided Germany were allowed to maintain their position unmolested by the post office department and the ad- ministration in general.
 Colonel Roosevelt said his state ment was merely preliminary to a further and fuller discussion of the subject which he intended to submit in a letter to some senator" for a permanent record. The victims of unfair discrimination cited by the colonel yesterday were the Metropoli- tan Magazine, Golfers Weekly. and the New York Tribune, which publi- cations, according to the colonel. have consistently upheld the war, but have also told that small portion of the truth which it was absolutely necessary to tell about the adninis- tration's failure 10 conduct the war efficiently" On the other hand, he maintained that the "prime example of failure by the administration to pro- ceed against really hostile and dam- aging utterance' was afforded by "a failure of the administration to deal with MT Hearst's papers as it has dealt with certain other papers"
 The colonel cited some of the Hearst editorials as evidence of sym pathy for Germany, and as evidence of "Hearst's continued effort to excite cite hatred the United States and England" He Concluded his state ment by pointing to the "ardent tribute paid by a German corre spondent to MT. Hearst and Arthur Brisbane, in which the German cor respondent is reported to have de- scribed them "auNiliaries of valued inf1uence' to Germany.
 The Statement.
 The colonels statement was as fol- lows:
 Postmaster General Burleson's statement was issued formally from the office of information of the post office department. l shall. there fore, answer it completely and at length in a letter to some senator. so as to have it appear permanently in the records, precisely as MT. Burle- sons statement appears. Meanwhile, make the following brief prelim- mary statement.
 The Metropolitan Magazine and Golfers Weekly and The New York Tribune have consistently upheld the war, but have also told that small portion of the truth which it was absolutely necessary to tell about the dministration's failure to conduct tn e war efficiently, and have only told it when it was impera tive so to do, in order to speed up the war. Golfers has been attacked by Mir. Creel. off, cially spea king as President Wilson's sage from the United States govern has also attacked the Metropolitan and The New York Tribune
 '"The Post Office department through the New York post,naste or March last notified the publishers o1 ] was unmailable under the espiona ge act. This action was widely published throughout the country. It was cal culated to do great damage to The Metropolitan. The Metropolitan i'm mediately asked the postmaster for the grounds of his action, but got no an swer. On March 9, it telegraphed tht postma ster- general asking whether the action was taken by order of the post master general, and, if not. what steps the postmaster general would take tc repair the damage done to The Metro politan On March Il the postma ste of New York wrote to The Metropol itan, reversing his action of March : but making no apology and giving nt explanation.
 Burlcson Ignorant of Charge.
 "Postmaster- G eneral Burleson. or March Il. replied to The Metropolitan stating that accusation had been madt that an article in it was a, traitorou effusion, but that he did not know whether the complaints were justified and that no orders had been issued about it by the department. He dit not answer The Metropolitan ques tion as to what steps would be takel lO lCpdlT lTC od1lldEs nOilC ny ltlS con duct of the New York postmaster. Ol March 12 the editor of The Mctropoii tan wrote to MT. Burleson, saying among other things You must re m ember that there are a great numb be
 of pacifists and pro-Gcrmans in thl country who would willingly put Th Metropolitan Magazine out of bushes beca use it is the strongest prO-Ally an antiGerman publication in the coun try calling attention to the fact tha q statcme ent attributed to the solicitor general of the departmen was obvi ously not in accord with the facts, an that The Metropolitan could not ac cept newspaper statements wlthoI confirmation from the postmaste, general, and asking for written statt mont from the postma stcr-S genera , the matter. Ho has received no sue 1 statement nor has any attempt bee