New-York tribune., 1918-12-24
Publisher Is Charged With
Seeking to Control All
New York Newsstands
Williamson Case l. Issue
Tammany Men. Unable to
Meet Associates Charges,
Sidetrack the Resolution

81 dozen members of the BOARD o
Aldcrmen at Yesterdays meeting. No
voice was raised to defend eithel
the Hearst papers or their owner Al
attacks and charges went unchallenged
The denunciation was provoked BY
Alderman Bruce NJ. Faconcr, who
moved that the Committee on Genera
Welfare be instructed TO report on his
resolution directing John Harman
Commissioner of Parks of Brooklyn te
inform the board of the aim and pur-
pose of an advertisement for bids
on the newsstsnds conducted by the
Williamson brothers opposite Borough
Hall.
Let me point out to the board the
following clause in the advertisement
said Alderman Falconer: "'The Com
missioner reserves the right to desig-
nate and determine the leading news
papers which must be offered for sale
at the stands What this board wants
TO know is under what provision of
iaw-Im a lawyer and can't find one,
nor can any other lawyer-.he Com
missioner inserted that clause.
Hearst Trick Is Scented
IF this were to be allowed the Park
Commissioner could say that news
dealers should not sell The New York
Tribune, and the newsdealer could not
know if he intends to say that the
newsdealers shall not sell The Tribune
There also may be question of
compelling the newsdealers to sell
Hearst's Americans and Journals
hidden in the advertisement on which
we are seeking light. The present own
ers Of these stands. whom the Park
Commissioner wants to oust, are
brothers. One is fighting in France
This is only a scheme to allow Mr.
Hearst to run these stands. As law
yer so | interpret the advertisement
should like to ask Park Commissioner
Harman if it wasn't Mr.. Hearst, or
somebody representing him, who wrote
this advertisement.
Alderman Baruch c. Vladeck charac-
terizcd the efforts Of the Park Com
missioner as an outrageous attempt to
establish newspaper censorship. Mr..
ladeck, who is managing editor Of
Socialist paper then continued:
Il hate The Tribune cordially, but I
would go to Jail for three years if
necessary, in order to see The Tribune
sold on every newsstand in this city"
Free Speech Involved
Alderman Bernard Z. Donnelly, a bit
of wag, said:
You've been in jail, haven't you?"
Yes" answered Nh. Nladeck, who
was imprisoned in Russia for induging
IN free speech, "and Pm ready to go
again to see The Tribune sold. This
IS bigger question than my friend
realizes. 1t involves free speech and
freedom of the press, things guaran-
teed by our Constitution, and one who
does not hold with me on this question
IS not fit to live in America, but is a
ut ASSOCIATE Of the Kaiser or the
Romanoffs"
Alderman Arnon L. Squiers then
took the floor. He said:
Quoted these two stands. The fight
was started by Hearst agents insisting
that all newsdealers give preference
to the Hearst papers and hide the
others behind stacks of Hearst news
papers. Then patriotic citizens, en-
ragged by the un-American policies of
the Hearst papers objected to those
papers being sold. They were right.
and | hope to see the day when not
Hearst paper shall be sold in New York
City or in any other part of the United
States
"You members of the board know
that it may have been the Park Com
missioner who wrote the advertisements
but it was Hearst who directed his
hand.
Is Called Grave Issue
"And Pm with Alderman Vladeck.
for |, too would rot in Jail for free
!. speech and freedom of the press.
N without any sanction of law or anv
El right whatever the Park Commissioner
assumes the right of absolute censor
ship. And if we don't act we are put
ting the stamp of approval on it.
Some of you may think this is an
unlmportant issue. 1t is a big issue.
especially in Brooklyn"
Alderman Charles H. Haubert. a
lammany man. who was accused ear
ller in the day of trying to please
Mayor Hylan IN order to obtain an ap-
pointment to the bench, raised ques-
uon of order on Alderman Squiers
"He is in order" ruled Robert l..
Moran, the acting chairman.
"lf these Williamson boys are
thrown out of these stands" continued
Alderman Squiers. "this board will
hear from the people of Brooklyn, who
stand behind them solidly"
Algernon Lee. the leader of the So
clahst minority, next took a fling at
the Hearst Hylan- Harman combination.
1T IS obvious that it is The Tribune
that this advertisement is aimed at"
said Mr.. Lee, who added he, like Alder
man Nladeck, bore no love toward The
Tribune. But this is not the first ap-
rearance of this autocratic usurpation
OF power by the Hylan administration
with respect to the ncwsdealers. For
eleven months the newsdealers have
suffered unfair and unjust treatment
at the hands of the Hylan administra-
ton. They struck against the unfair
tactics being practiscd upon them. and
they were threatened by the Park Com
missioner and by the Commissioner of
Licenses that if they did not sell the
newspapers the Hylan administration
dictated their licenses would be re-
Noked Amy man who won't stand up
against that sort of treatment is not
worthy OF living IN country hallowed /
by the heroes of 1916 and other davs
who went to jail in their fights for free /
speech and free press.
Who Bosses" Hylan
Il know that wncn orders come from |
the Mayor and we know where he gets
his orders this board, or the ma
lority of it, performs his bidding. You
can bury this matter mere in this
board. but it will continue live ISSUE
outside of the board, and it won't stay
buried"
After few more attacks on Hearst.
Hylan and Harman. the board took
vote on Mr.. falcouer's motion. which
would force the committee on general
welfare 10 report out his resolution at
ho of