The sun., 1918-05-11
7. T.R.LAUNCHES
FIERCE ATTACK
ON W.R. HEARST
Quotes Many Editorials in
controversy With
BurlesOn.
ASKS WHY HE IS IMMUNE
COlOnel's Answer to POstmas-
ter Asserts Administration
Plays Favorites.

lneodore Roosevelt accepting IoSt-
master-Ceneral Bur.esoa's challenge to
prove his charge'thlt the Administration
has been anxious to punish newspapers
and magazines which tod the truth
about "the ADMINISTRATORS failure to
conduc. tho war efficiently and failed
to punish powerful newspapers friendly
to the Administration which opposed the
war or attacked our allies or directly OF
indirectly aided Germany. issued last
night what he calls a brief preliminary
statement
The Colonels reply is brlof and pre-
liminary because he intends to make
complete answer in letter to some
Senator, SO that II may go into the Gov
eminent records, as did Mr.. Burleson's
denial and challenge.
He names the Metropolitan Hd0d.ine,
Golfers Weekly and the New York
Tribune as periodicals that have criti-
cised the Administrators conduct Of
tho war and felt the Administrations
displeasure.
Names Hearst Papers.
He names the Hears. papers as the
prime example OF failure by the Admin
istration to proceed against newspapers
which opposed the war or attacked our
allies or directly or indirectly aided
Germany
He quotes freely from Hearst papers
to support his point. He says the quota =
tions deprive Mr. Burleson and the Ad-
ministration Of "any shred OF justitica-
tion In this matter
He also points out that "Mr. Hearst is
- al In hn n r
more than a millionaire. owning dozen
newspapers, more or less, and half
dozen maya axines. in different parts OF
the country"
Mr.. Roosevclt's statement follows
"Postmaste r. General Burleson's state
ment WAS issued formally from the office
Of information OF the Post Office Depart
ment. shall therefore answer It COM
pletely and at length In letter to some
Senator, 50 az to have II appear perma-
nently In the records. precisely as MIR
Rurlsson's statement appears, Mean
while l make the following brisf pro-
iiminary statement:
The Metropolitan Maoosine and COL
Iiers maea zine and the New York rrtb-
une have consistently upheld the war
but have also told that small portion OF
the truth which II Was absolutely neces'
eary to tell about the Administration
failure to conduct the war efficiently
and have only told It when It was i'm
perative to do 40 In order to speed VI
! the war. Golfers has been attacked hI
/ Mr.. Creel, oficially speaking as Presi
/ dent Wilson's representative and as Civ
| ing a message from tho United State
! Government to the American people. HI
( has also attacked the Metropoliton anc
! the New York Tribune,
Magazine stopped.
The Post once Department, through
the New York Postmaster. on March
last notified the publishers Of the Metro
poNtan that its March issue was non
mailable under the espionage act. Thi
action was widely published throughou
the country II was calculated to d.
great damage TO the Metropolitan. Tn
| Netropol{tan Immediately asked tn
postmaster for the grounds of his action
but got no answer. On March It te'e
graphed the Postraster-General askin
whether the action was taken by the or
der OF the Postmaster-Gereral, and
not what steps tho Postmaster Genera
would take to repair the damage done I
the Metropolitan.
"On March II the Postmaster OF Ne'
York wrote 10 the Metropolitan revers
Ing MS 0ctl0n OF NhTCH put HtdN''
no apology and giving no explaratio,
The Postmaster General. Mr.. Burleso'
on March II, replied to the Mctropoltd
stating that accusation had been mad
that an article in II was traitorou
efrusion, but that he did not kno'
whether the complaints were justifie
and that no orders had been issue
about it by the Department.
! "Ve did not answer the Metropolitan
question as to what steps would be take
to repair the damage done by the cor
4 duct Of the New York Postmaster.
"On March 12 the editor of the Metre
politan wrote to Mr.. Burleson sayinl
among other things. You must remen
her that there are a great number
paciists and Germans In this cour
, try who would willingly put the Metre
, poiitan Mdg0 sine out Of business b'
, cause i. Is the most strongly pro-AlI
! and anti-German publication In Il
country calling attention to the fa
, a statement attributed 10 the Solicito
General OF the Department was obvious
r not In accord with the facts and that Il
Z MetrOpoIitdn could not accept new
paper statements without confirmatic
= from the Postmaster-General. and asl
ing for a written statement from u
, Postmaster-General in the matter
r "He has received no suc;i stateme
Y Covf;uucd m Eoarfh p10C