New-York tribune., 1918-05-22
Mayor of Elmira
Takes Steps to Bar
Hearst Newspapers
Harry N. Hoffman Calls On
Aldermen to Act Against
''Disloyal Press

ELMIRA, n. Y, May 21.-The rapidly
spreading movement to prohibit the
circulation of Hearst newspapers has
reached this city Mayor Harry N.
Hoffman, at meeting of the Common
Council to-day, introduced motion
aimed directly at barring Hearst's
"New York American" and "New York
Evening Journal" in addition to Ger
man language newspapers.
The resolution. in which the munich
pal authorities follow the lead of
Mount Vernon and OF Summit, N. j.,
reads:
"Whercas, certain newspapers pub
lished in the City of New York and
other places have printed many arti-
cles indicating disloval attitude tow
ard the United States government in
its great task of carrying on the war;
wherefore, | recommend that the
Common Council consider a means of
limiting the sale of such newspapers in
the city of Elmira and of counteracting
such disloyal influences.
"HARRY N. HOFFMAN, Mayor"
Although Hearst is not mentioned by
name in the resolution, Mayor Hoffman
openly stated to-day that the motion
was aimed against "The American" and
Journal"
Some of US got together and decid-
cd it was time to do something to check
the circulation Of the Hearst papers
here said Mayor Hoffman. eve also
are going to prevent the circulation of
doubtful German newspapers. Action
will be taken soon"
Mayor Hoffman, who has three sons
in the service and traces his ancestry
from Revolutionary stock, was urged
to start the drive against the Hearts
sheets, he declared, because he would
not tolerate any subtle propaganda de-
signed to help the enemy and hurt our
cause"
The patriotic wrath of Richard Mar
lowe, an attorney of this city, aroused
by Hearst's "Amercanisms." as repub-
lished in The New York Tribune. led
to the action of the city authorities.
'For year l have been noticing the
subtle methods employed by some of
the Hearst papers to arouse prejudice
among our people against our allies
France" said Mr.. Marlowe. 40
II have also been reading the Cooled
IN the Flag-Hears-s-s-t' articles which
appeared in The Tribune and felt CON
vlnced that something should be done
to stop the circulation of Hearst paners
in this city. There is no doubt but that
the influence of the Hearst papers is
bad at this time.
The sentiment of the people of this
town is growing against Hearst yery
rapidly, and we do not want him here.
Council and the Mayor are with me- in
our efforts to keep those disloyal
papers out. The resolution to consider
the means of limiting the sale of such
newspapers was passed unanimously.
What broke the camel's back was
Hearsts mutilation of the Presidents
noble proclamation for Memorial Day
which Hearst emasculated in his paper
by leaving out of it the sentences
praying for victory to our arms.
was so aroused that at once went tn
Mayor Hoffman and showed it to him
The Mayor after carefully reading it
decided to take the action he did,"
On motion of Alderman Guy D. Nor.
gan, the matter was unanimously voted
Tor future action by the Common Conn.
Gil meeting in committee of the whole
at time shortly to be fixed bv the
Mayor The Elmira authorities will
take no chances of legal action hv
Hearst to stop them from carrying out
w PoPuldi VIII, ana nave not vet de-
clded what plan to pursue in achievino
this end. ''''s
However, we are profting from what
other patriotic communities are doing >
said Mr.. Marlowe. "When we take a..
tion it will be Hearst lawyer-proof. The
method that we will adopt here in
Elmira will withstand all legal attacks
unless Hearst can get the courts to de.
clare patriotism unconstitutional"
Alderman Morgan, who moved the
resolution, stated he had read the
Hearst version of the Presidents Me
mortal Day proclamation and considered
1t altogether unpatriotic. Alderman j
l. Baird, condemning emphatically the
Hearst method. declared:
II read the way Hearst treated the
Presidents proclamation in last Mon.
days Tribune, and it appealed to me
as = very unpatyiotic!.s4ct net to pui