New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-09-02
New Week Finds "Ameri-
can" and journal
Agents on Defensive
City Authorities
Keeping Hands OFF
Vendors Write to Mayor in
Effort to Make Issue
Clear to Him

OorS revolt against the oppressive
methods of William R. Hearst and his
agents in and out of the city admins
tration finds the Hearst crowd very
much on the defensive, with larger
he indications favoring a more inten-
sive drive for freedom to buy only
>uch papers as the dealers may be
Ible to sell.
In the week just closed Mayor Hylan
end mis- subordinates in the city ad-
Ninistration, who answered Hearst's
arst S O S call with threat to can
sel the licenses of all who refused to
10 business with him, have, so far as
the public record goes. been very
quiet. To date Mayor Hylan has re-
fused to explain his attitude, License
Commissioner John F. Gilchrist has
cancelled not a single license nor
since cancelling the license of John
Williamson, Acting Park Commits
sioner William H. Muldoon, of Brook
lyn, who at the start threatened to be
most aggressive headsman, has in
terfered with no one.
Action on Long Island
On Long Island the dealers in COM
munltles outside of BROOKLYN and it's
Immediate suburbs have put the propo-
sltlon OF dropping Hearst and all his
works up to the Publishers Associa-
ton. They have the promise Of the
association to take the matter up at
its next meeting. When this will be
held has not been stated. Meantime
the Long Island dealers have called
conference for Thursday next of rep
resentatives of all newsdealers' asso-
Citations in greater New York and vicin-
ity. to take up the questions involved
and arrange for united action.
This action by the Long Island deal
ers, forced by the attitude of their
patriotic customers, has lessened the
pressure upon them. They report that
customers who have been insisting that
they choose between Hearst and their
trade are standing pat" waiting for
the publishers either to accept the
proposition of the dealers or declare
timent Of Long Island.
The attempt of Mayor Hylan to be-
cloud the situation by charging that
newsdealers who oppose Hearst are
dishonest and intimating that the re-
volt against Hearst oppression is due
10 employees Of The Tribune has met
with prompt response from the news
dealers. In letter made public YES
terday the joint committee calls on the
Mayor to come out into the open with
any charges he may have.
Text of Letter to Hylan
| Here is the letter:
"New York, August 81, 1918.
Hon: John F. Hylan, Mayor of the
City of New York
Dear Sir: On August 81 The Trib-
une published letter sent by you
to Mr. Ogden Reid, in which YOU
stated: There is a rumor several of
the so-called leaders of the news
dealers who have been more or less
instrumental In causing trouble
among the dealers are directly or in
directly on the payroll of The Trib
une'
ut is quite amusing if the Mayor
of this great city allows mere
rumors spread broadcast by dis
reputable gang, to influence him. and
the sad part of it is that the Mayor
accepts such rumors at face value in
order to justify his action against
the newsdealers and newsboys. You
have indirectly accused the joint
committee of newsdealers and news
boys OF being in the employ of The
iiiDuiIe. Inc puDHc is only too we'll
acquainted with the parties RESPONSE
Die for your actions, and were it not
for the fact that you hide behind
rrumors you would find yourself fac
ing lawsuit once more.
The men on the committee are
white and have clean records. and
that is more than can be said of the
antagonistic element that works
against them.
The Facts Cited
Facts must be considered. YOUR
honor, and not rumors, ard the facts
are:
"In July last we wrote YOU about
the impending troubles between the
newsdealers and the publishers. We
reminded you of your promise of
last February that if the striking
newsdealers at that time returned
to work and tried out the new ar
rangement of the publishers, and If
it proved disadvantage to the deal
ers you would take the matter up
for readjustment. You evaded the
issue involved and merely replied by
using fgurs supplied by the manager
of The New York American tending