Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-12
SHOP TALK FOR A MOMENT
Readers Will Pardon Brief Discussion Of
Difficult Newspaper Problem

dramatists and their actors, seldom
find it policy to infict upon their clients,
the public, the discussion of their per-
plexities and problems of behind the
scenes. But the war has changed so
many things of intimate concern to the
public, including the making of news
papers, that perhaps we may be par
doned for depressing long enough to dis
cuss a question of large Importance now
pending before the War Industries
Board.
Difficulties of fuel distribution, wood
pulp and finished-roll transportation and
a variety of other factors have made it
imperative in the view of this body that
there shall be considerable curtailment
in the use of news-print paper. That
this situation exists is indisputable.
Competent persons who have investi-
gated admit the necessity and the news
paper publishers of the country, like
manufacturers and producers in many
other lines where the consumption of raw
materials comes in competition with the
production of strictly war munitions, are
patriotically cooperating with the War
Industries Board in an effort to find a
proper and equitable solution. Conserva-
ton must be practiced.
The War Industries Board has ordered
that, beginning today and continuing
until October /, the reduction in the
daily and Sunday editions shall be made
according to a sliding scale, affecting
Only the reading matter. 1t is Calcu-
lated to cut down at least l5 per cent
of the space devoted to reading matter,
which includes pictures. Consequently,
readers may find some favorite features
missing from accustomed places.
With due respect to the judgment
which formulated this dictum, we believe
that it is entirely on the wrong tack. II
does not sufficiently recognize the rights
of the great newspaper-readng public,
which rights, after all. are the only ones
supporting the very sensible opinion that
newspapers are productive and essential
industries in this time of national stress
and striving.
If newspapers as whole were not do
ing a highly valuable and indispensable
service to the Government and the people
they might properly be classified with
any other private industry which has had
to get out of the way of work for Win
ming the war. They might justly be shut
down "for the duration" as the popular
war phrase puts it. But they do serve
the public and the Government, as must
be universally admitted, and therefore
they should not be crippled in their most
vital essential--space to keep the public
fully informed of every new development
in the war as quickly as telegraph and
cable can deliver it; space to perform
their chief function for the National
Government by simultaneously publish
ing notable pronouncements by its Of
! fcers, such as addresses of the President
throughout the country; space to keep
the public abreast of war intelligence by
critical editorial discussion of the news,
and space to keep the public in good
cheer and fit for the arduous work of the
war by entertaining articles, pictures and
comics, such as have come to be the
necessary complement of many live and
thriving publications. These are the
rights of the readers.
Therefore any proposition arbitrarily
to limit by hard and fast rule the amount
of reading matter-which comprehends
all these features-is limitation of the
service which the newspapers are able to
give to the public. The logic is ines
capable.
The simpler alternative is to fix per-
centage of reduction in the number of
! pages allowed to be used within a given
time, figured on the basis of the par
ticular publications. usage in a like
period previously. Then the use to which
such space is put would be entirely at the
discretion of the individual publisher. If
he chose to cut down only on the space
for reading matter, he would be di-
rectly answerable to the public, his
readers, and the remedy would lie in their
hands. If he chose to continue giving
the public as much service as before he
would be fulfilling his duty even though
it might vitality affect his pocketbook
The wise publisher will not hesitate at
such losses to his present interests where
service to his Government and the
public is concerned. In either event
there would be the same saving of
white paper, which is the primary need
The public has had to sacrifice much
since the war began. 1t seems needless
to ask that it even be forced to forgo its
full daily ration of news at moment when
there are more real, pulsating, heart
gripping and vitally important facts to
lay before the public than ever before in
the history of journalism. That is what
has impelled us to talk shop this way
And we hope we have fairly presented it