New-York tribune., 1918-12-25
Harrllan Assails
Critics of His Plan
To Assist Hearst
Park Commissioners De-
tends Attempt TO Force
Unwanted Newspapers on
s'ac Borough Newsstands

reply to the aldermanic denuncia-
tions of the city administration ap-
parent plan to use it's own judgm ent
about what papers are to be sold by
the borough hal stands was issued yes
terday by Park Commissioner John N.
Harman.
In his statement Commissioner Har-
man says: at is the right, not of any
newspaper, but of the public, which
owns this property, that every news
paper shall be sold, provided any is
sold"
The stand taken by the alderman
who was not defended at the time by
the friends of the Hylan administra-
ton, was that in his advertisement for
the sale of the borough hall stands
the Commissioner expressed opposite
views.
section in the advertisement reads:
"The Commissioner reserves the right
to designate and determine the leading
papers which must be offered for sale
at the stands
Commissioner Harmans reply fol-
lows:
"The Board of Aldermen voted down
the resolution introduced by Falconer,
of Manhattan, and supported by Alder
man Squiers, of this borough, and AL
derman Lee, who in the midst of the
war was putting up resolution de-
nouncing the war savings stamp cam
paign Of the government.
"The resolution is unnecessary. The
facts of the matter are perfectly clear
and Falconer can have them, as Squiers
has them. The theory of park conces-
sions is that they shall serve the pub
lie. and not private enterprise. The
Borough Hall newsstands leased by
Williamson are park concessions. He
gets them for S140 a year on a con-
tract made before ! went into office
Any one who knows the value of
stand at the Borough>Hall knows that
such a price as a rental is absurd.
His obligation is to serve the public by
selling all the newspapers the public
desires to buy. Nothing constitutes
the lessee of the park newsstands
censor to determine what the public
should buy and what it should not.
Says Prmise Was Broken
Mr.. Williamson decided last summer
TO cut out the Hearst newspapers. The
courts have just decided that even
municipality like Mt. Vernon has no
right TO act as newspaper censor, and
the assumption Of such a right on park
property by a concessionalre is in
tolerable revoked his permit. He
sued for an injunction. Meanwhile
Lemuel z. Quigg, his counsel, called
up the corporation counsel and said
Williamson had decided to sell all the
newspapers and desired his license re-
newed. 1t was renewed. He i'm
mediately broke his promise. His pre-
text was that selling the papers caused
disturbance in front of his stand. We
have police force to take care Of dis
turbers, and the other newstands OF
Brooklyn then and since have sold
Hearst newspapers without any dis
turbancc. Williamson got temporary
injunction pending decision as to the
right of the Park Commissioner to in
terfere IN the matter 1t has been
hanging fire since. Meanwhile MS
stand license expires January /. /
have advertised for bids on the new
concession | have inserted in the
advertisement the same provision prac-
tically that is inserted in all park con-
cessions, giving the commissioner the
right to see that the service given is
pubic service and not private service
of one newspaper as against another
Denies Hearst Direction
81 can understand why Lee with his
professed sympathy for the red flag
and his recorded opposition to the Ma
tional government may consider it good
olitics to sread falsehood and foment
disorder over this question can
understand why The Tribune. for cir
culation reasons, assails a successful
rival. But | cannot understand why
Squiers ties with the Socialist Lee,
and utters this ettifoeeing falsehood.
"You members Of the board know
that it may have been the Park Com