New-York tribune., 1918-06-10
Cranford,N j.
Militia Burns
Hearst Papers
Cleanup of "Americans'
Made in House-to-
House Canvass

CRAWFORD, N. j., June 9.-No Sown
for that matter, was cleaner of Hearst
newspapers at noon to-day than was
this city of Crawford.
The members of the Crawford cori-
pany of the New jersey Militia Reserve
did it, They dug deep into their pockets
in order to do it. But they put it owe,
in true New Jersey style. Company
members mapped out their plan of cain
paign at an informal meeting last night
at which Captain j. H. Frazier. com.
mander of the Crawford company, pre-.
sided
A designated number of the company
members went directly from this meet
ing to make businesslikc yet unof
fetal call on all the newsdealers o1
Crawford From the newsdealers the
miitiamen obtained the name Of every
Crawford citizen who up until to-da!
was a subscriber to Hearst newsp;
per. Later that evening these names
were sorted and carefully tabulated as
to residential districts
Call on Hearst Subscribers
Bright and early this morning twelve
autom obiles arrived at the Public
Square Of Crawford. They were filled
with members of the Crawford militia
in uniform. The militiamen loaded
their cars with copies of all New York
newspapers except Hearst papers, and
then started forth on their mission to
make Crawford absolutely clean Of
Hearst daily publications.
These automobiles stopped in front
cording to the newsdealers' reports. 9
Hearst paper was delivered.
The men in uniform, usually march
ing in military formation, stepped up
the sidewalk and rang the doorbell
With them they carried copies OF "T.1e
New York World" Herald" "Times,'
"Sun" and Tribune. of which they had
laid in ample stocks before leaving the
Public Square.
Gave Other Papers in Exchange
All the militiamen asked of Gran
ford citizens was that they exchange
the Hearst newspaper which had been
delivered to them that morning for a
copy of any one of the other New
York papers which the militiamen Of
fered.
1--WE want Crawford citizens to read
only loyal and pro-American news
papers-make your choice of these
others. We want to trade you pa
triotic newspaper for that Hearst
paper and we're willing to trade even
not asking anything to boot!"
That was one way the militiamen
explained their mission. And at not q
single Crawford home did the home
guardsmen find the residents unwilling
ITO swap"
Many Of the citizens asked the mi
litiamen to instruct their newsdealers
to deliver some other New York paper
in the future.
Before making the rounds of resi-
dences the militiamen had bought up all
the Hearst newspapers on sale at the
stands. To these were added the COPIES
collected from the residences. The en-
tire lot made bonfire in the centre of
the public square. Citizens came from
all over town to see it.
Intend to Keep Hearst Out
The militiamen made no ceremony
of the burning. Citizens not in uni
form did all the cheering
Captain Frazier said tonight that
the miltiamen, having cleaned Gran.
ford of Hearst papers to-day, intended
to keep the town so.
Local newsdealers have agreed not
to handle Hearst papers any longer"
stated Captain Frazier. 1.-THE members
of the company to-day bought up in ad-
vance all the Hearst papers which the
newsdealers ordinarily would have sold
Monday and Tuesday. We do not want