New-York tribune., 1918-05-11
Asks Why Watson Was
Punished and Wealthy
Publisher Is Not
Replies to Challenge
Of Cabinet Officer
Says Tribune, "Metropoli-
tam and "Collier's" Have
Been Attacked

I0iQuet Il luSOQOIt ROVSCtCll NSSlSI~
0,y made public preliminary answer
20 Postmaster General Burleson, who
challenged him to make good on his
charges of discrimination by the gov
ernment against loyal publications and
in favor Of disloyal publications.
As loyal publications which, he says,
baye upheld the war but told the nee
tssary truths about the Administers
tons inefficiency and been punished
.aerefor, Colonel Roosevelt named the
New York Tribune. the metropolitan"
Magazine and "Collier's."
Citing disloyal publications which,
be says. have defended the inefficiency
Of the Administration and have been
favored by the Administration, he
names the various newspapers owned
by William Randolph Hearst, This
powerful multi tl-miliionaire, he declares,
WAS permitted to play Germany's game
on large scale, while Tom Watson,
oi Georgia, a man of limited means,
vas punished for playing it on a small
SCALE.
As part of the punishment visited
upon the Metropolitan" Colonel
Roosevelt charges an effort to intimi-
date an advertiser by representative
of the Department of Justice. Z. Nj.
Mansur, of Floral Park, N. Y, is named
as the :dyertiser.
Qsetes From 'sThc American"
Dsala9 with Mr.. Hearst, Colonel
Roosevelt cites date after date on
which ~The New York American"
printed matter calculated to aid Ger
many. some Of it over the signature of
Hearst, and he calls attention to the
high praise bestowed upon Hearst's
chief editor, Arthur Brisbane. by men,
bers Of the Cabinet.
The challenge of Mr.. Burleson, issued
on Wednesday night, read as follows:
Il invite Mr. Roosevelt to name the
papers or magazines which have up
held the war, but which told the truth
about the Administration failure to
conduct the war efficiently which
have been punished by the Postoffice
Department. invite Mr.. Roosevelt
70 name the newspapers or maga-
zines, powerful or otherwise, which
have opposed the war and attacked
our Allies or directly or indirectly
aided Germany against this country
10 such manner as to violate the law,
which have not been proceeded
against by this department.
Failure on the part OF Mr.. Roose-
relt to respond is to admit his inabil-
iy to do so''
Colonel Roosevelt's preliminary an
mer, as given out in the New York
snees OF "The Kansas City Star" BAT
sadlson Avenue. points out that, since
~ burelosn's statement was issued
Mlmaily, Mr.. Roosevelt will answer it
spmpietely in letter to some Senator,
as to have it appear permanently
- me records, precisely as Mr.. Burle-
Wus statement appears"
Attacked for Telling Truth
Dc then makes the following prelim-
mary statement:
.crThe Metropolitan Magazine and
ysalL yxo.llers Magazine and The New
teK Tribune have consistently up
held the war, but have also told that
mail portion of the truth which it
ms absolutely necessary to tell about
ue Administrations failure to con-
aust the war efficiently, and have
0aiy told it when it was imperative
= 70 DO, In order to speed up the
Collier's' has been attacked by
81 Creel, officially speaking as Pres
vent Wilson'S representative and as
gnng message from the United
wales government to the American
Rsople. &c has also attacked The
Tribune.
Inc Possoffice Department, through
ss new York postmaster, on March 2
~ notified the publishers of The
assfopoliten' that its March issue was
wsa-maiiatle under the espionage act.
aas action was widely published
ssspnghou. the country. 1t was CAL
s.eo TO do great damage to The
opolitan.' The Metropolitan i'm
rsalately asked the postmaster for
~ ,ss 6Tounds of his action, but got no
On March 8 it telegraphed
Postmaster General asking
sssAaer the action was taken by the
ssf Of the Postmaster General, and
aot what steps the Postmaster
asfal would take to repair the dam
ssne 70 The metropolitan.
Reverses His Action
On March IL the postmaster of
q. iork wrote to The Metropolitan
ss!sing his action of March 2, but
s;.sng no apology and giving no ex-
asnon. The Postmaster General,
I ~ onrteson, on March IL replied to
& 49,. ~ metropolitan stating that ac-
syon had been made that an ar
s ~ II was a traitorous effusion,
n ~ seat he did not know whether the
~ aaints were justifsi and that no
NJ mad been Issued about it by
S epartment. He did not answer
ss g ~. Metropolitan's' question as to
steps would be taken to repair
SSsnage 9 done by the conduct of
SMsy York postmaster.
ya March IL the editor of sThe
s pclitan' wrote to Mr.. Burleson
~ among other things, You
4 semember that there are q great
js * RS ef pacifists and pro-Germans
|Fg wv ~ country who would willingly
3S tne metropolitan Magazine" out
slness because IL is the most
pro-Ally and anti-Gcrman
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