The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-30
SUPREME COURTS
DECISION IN A.
SUIT CONCLUSIVE
Associated Press Wins Its
Tilt Against Hearst News
Bureau-PreventS Pirating
of Bulletins.
LENGTHY OPINION IS
WRITTEN BY JUSTICES
BrandeiS, in Dissenting 0pin-
ion, Holds Contrary to Ma
iOTity Finding on Supreme
Bench.


WASHINGTON, Dec. so in one Of
the most ip,Doy,art raseg pfrrrtinr the
Aunu"H'eI't'lS '' 'I' newspaper "'>'"'
ever decided In this country, whereby
the contention OF the Associated lTeSS
that there is a property right lu news
was upheld against the contentious OF
tne international News service
The tull text ~ the majority opinion
Of The United states supreme court lol-
IONS:
The parties are competitors m the
gathering and Distributor at news ana
us publication Tor prou. W. newspapers
throughout the l nIteu states. lhe AS
Hociated tresS, winch was CpfnPItllahl
III The district rs a cooperative
organization. Incorporated under. M"
membership corporations law Of inc
state OF Me-" Qrk, lts mo1nherS ncife
individuals who are either proprletors
or representatives NJ Hnouj $50 ddlIy
neWsl'anciN PUullrh'u I'M "' parts "I
be lnltcd states, jhal a cNfioldlin'l
NAV he organized under That d'' ipr
The purpose Of gathering news tor inc
use and heuetlt OF IT'S members ana
Ior publication in newspapers owned
or represented by them, ~ recognized
ny an amendment enacted IN lsOl Jaws
n Y. 1901, LAap. 456l Complainant
gathers IN all parts or the world, ny
means Of various instruWenta'tties Of
~ Wv 49, ~ ~. 'N"''F' N''' 'N '' ''
pers, ana ny tll'I appropriate means,
news ana intelligence "I current ana
recent events OF interest Il" newspaper
readers ana d~lSi'loqleN u ddiiN 10 lLS
members for publication In their news
papers. The cost OF The service. amount
ing approximately TO 81, 5oO, OVo per an
mum, Is assessed upon inc WnmoerS an"
becomes q part ~ ineir costs ot opeI,-
alton, TO he r~eC"upcd, presumably with
profit, through the publication OF lhelT
several newspapers Under complain
ants bylaws each member agrees up
on assuming membership mat news re-
ceived through complainAniS service Is
received exclusively for publication In
a particular newspaper, language and
place specified in the certificate OF
membership, that no other use OF 1t
shall be permitted, and that no mem
Der shall furnish or permit any one IN
his employ or connected with his news
paper TO furnish any OF complainahts
news In advance Of publication to any
person not n member And each mem
Der is required TO gather the local news
Of his district and supply It to the As
ISOLATED Press and 10 no one else.
Defendant IL a corporation organ
lied under the laws OF the state OF
Now Jersey whose business IL the
gathering and selling Of news to its
customers and clients. consisting OF
newspapers published throughout the
CilltH Cldl'or ulutI Nhllh avs ny NNl'ni
they pay certain amounts at stated
times for defendants service, II has
widespread news gathering agencies
the cost of It's operations amounts, II
IL said, to more than $4,000, 600 per an
mum, and II serves about 400 newspa.
pora located IN the various cities OF
the United States and abroad, a few
OF which are represented, also, In the
membership Of the Associated Press,
The parties are IN the keenest cofn-
petition between themselves In tho dis
trtbution OF news throughout the United
states; and 30, as n rule. are the nows.
PAPERS that they serve, In their several
districts
Complainant IN It's Dill, d~etendant IN
us answer, nave set torth IN Almost
Identical terms. the rather OBVIOUS CIR
culnstanoeS ana conditions under when
their business Is conducted. The value
OF the service, and OF the news fur-
nished, depends upon the pronptness
OF transmission, as well as upon the
accuracy and impartiality of the news;
II being essential that the news, be