New-York tribune., 1918-08-30
Letter Requests Meeting
With Commissioner of
Licenses
Publishers Attitude
Likened to Boycott
Communication Is Sent to
Papers Who Espouse
Cause of Hearst

Still carrying the fight to Hearst and
his allies in the city government. the
Joint committee of newsdealers and
newsboys of New York City yesterday
moved to obtain from License Commits
sioner John F. Gilchrist a definite
statement of his position in the matter
of forcing them to buy Hearst papers.
They also wrote the publishers who
are supporting Hearst in his attempts
to escape the result of un-American ut
terances in his papers, asking how they
square their former utterances against
sympathetic strikes, and of sympathy
for labor, with their support of Hearst
at this time.
In their letter to the publishers they
liken the attitude of those papers lined
up with Hearst to those Of manufact-
urers, who, because of strike in the
factory of another, lock out satisfied
employees.
Letter Sent GiIchrist
What the committee particularly
wishes to learn from Commissioner
Gilchrist is what he means when he
says he "would hesitate" before can
ceiling the license of a vender who, IN
self defence. refuses to purchase
Hearst papers. To this end the COM
.,ittee Yesterday wrote him, asking for
an appointment at which he might hear
their side of the case and make his own
position clear.
The Gilchrist ruling that venders
must buy Hearst papers whether their
patriotic customers, will permit them
to do so or not was made without any
hearing or Investigation into the stu
alton. following Mayor Hylan's ruling
that the newsdealers must do business
with his friend Hearst or go out of
business. AS matter of fairness, they
believe they are at least entitled to a
hearing
At Yesterdays meeting it was recog
nized that Mr.. Gilchrst is in an un-
comfortable position. AS the dealers,
who have no desire to make his position
ly a question of his doing the fair
thing by them and risking his $500
year job, or else allowing his Office
to be used as part Of the Hearst ma
chine to terrorize the newsdealers and
defy patriotic public opinion.
Smith Also Embarrassed
His present position is also embar-
rassing to President Gal" Smith, of the
Board of Aldermen, and ex-Sheriff "Big
Tom" Foley, his political sponsors. Gill
christ's appointment represents the
one important bit of patronage the big
Tammany leader has been able to Sc
cure from this administration, and
with Gilchrist using it to antagonize
the thousands of newsboys and news
dealers, large numbers of whom live
in the 1st Assembly District, it threat
ems to become a considerable liability
Following the discussion of Mr.. Gill
christ's position, it was voted to send
him this letter:
Aug. 2S, 1918.
John F. Gilchrist.
Commiss roner of Licenses:
Dear Sir: The Joint Committee of
Newsdealers and Newsboys of New
York City desire to make an appoint
ment to see you at your earliest con-
venience to take up the matter of the
threatened loss of their licenses.
Your statements reported in this
mornings Tribune, touching upon
the situation, raise among other
things the issue of the. newstands
whose business is affected by the sale
of certain papers. 1t is upon this
issue particularly that the Joint
Committee would like to reason with
you.
Awaiting an early reply, we are,
Very truly yours,
(Signed) The Joint Committee,
}. Benjamin Marcus. Secretary.
Letter to Publishers
1t was also voted to send to the pub
llshers who by insisting that dealer:
also buy Hearst papers under penalt,
CT not selling their own product tt
them have made his fight their fight
this letter:
Cantlopop. D,L1;.1
placed yourself on record in matters
of public concern. Specifically. YOU
have at various times advocated or
condemned policies pursued bv one
side or the other in labor disnutes
and only too often harshly criticised
workers for joining in sympathy
with fellow strikers.
What would be your attitude to
the action of manufactures who
declares a lockout in his shop. de-
spite the fact that his workers are
content with their condition, because
employees in a competing factory
nave gone on a strike? Would Won
support such action on the part of
the manufacturer?
We put this question because 2
similar situation has arisen in the
newspaper trade. The newsdealers
and newsboys have refused to handle
the hearSt puDlicatlonS because it is
felt they are disloyal and a detri-
ment to their business. The publish
ers of other papers, however, are
withholding their newspapers from
the dealers because the latter do not
want TO sell Hearst publications.
1t IS often claimed that the actions
Of the business departments of
newspapers are foreign to their edi-
torial policies. DO you consider it
consistent for a newspaper to con-
denim strikes on the part of labor
and approve such actions on the
part Of capital? Are you ready to
admit that your editorial policy has
been entirely one-sided and that the
interests Of capital are your sole
concern?
The nswsdealers and newsboys
would like TO know and the public at
large ought 70 know where you
stand.
THE JOINT COMMITTEE.
e J. Benjamin Marcus. Secretary.
Contributions Asked
The committee aIso Issued a call {
re~sboys and ncwsdcalcrs 10 send con
tributions 10 TREASURER Weber. at 105
Sixth Avenue toward meeting IN
receszary expenses it IL under
The Lorg bland Ncwsdeaiers' Asso
e,otioD, which on Tuesday wrote tn
fdtliHherg' AHsociatton aRkiny that III r.