New-York tribune., 1918-05-26

should be stated affirmatively as an
,unquestioned fact.
Burleson's Challenge
Diuided in TtUo Parts
"I have said SO much by way of MAX
ing the genera: situation clear. Now,
as to Postmaster General Burleson's
challenge. This can be divided into
two parts: First, Mr.. Burleson denies
that the Administration has ever dis
criminated improperly against any
publication, and, second, he denies that
it has ever failed to proceed against
any publication which ought to have
been proceeded against.
"First-'The Metropolitan Magazine,'
golfers Weekly and The New York
Irlbune have consistently upheld the
war. They eagerly demanded that we
should go to war; they supported the
President in going to war; they have
cordially upheld every measure for
prosecuting the war; But they have
also told not all of the truth, but some
small portion of the truth, which it
was was absolutely necessary to tell, about
the Administration failure to conduct
the war efficiently. They have only
told, even this small portion of the
truth when it was imperative so to do
IN order to speed up the war and to-
prevent perseverance in inefficiency.
All three publications have been at
tackled by Mr.. Creel officially, speaking
as President Wilson's representative
and as giving message from the
United States government to the Amer
ican people, q quote from The Inde-
pendent.D n4
=, The Postoffice Department, through
the New York postmaster, on March 2
last notified the publishers of THE Met
ropolitan Magazine that it's March
issue was nonmailable under the
espionage act. This action was widely
published throughout the country. 1t
was was calculated to do great damage to
me Metropolltan.' 1t was precisely
the KIND OF action which, as I know bv
having been so assured again and again
Dy various editors, was the reason why
these editors have been afraid to tell
the truth or even small part of the
truth about our governmental ineffici-
ency or misdeeds.
The article on which the action was
nomlnally based was by man who had
wfltten articles of exactly the same
Klnd l IN publication, The New Repub-
nc, which, however, is a political sup
porter Of Mr.. Wilson, and has not been
lnterfered with. The Metropolitan is
not political supporter of MIR Wilson
ana was lnterfered with, yet The Met
ropoltan' has upheld the war far more
zeastlno,uslly than The New Republic
The metropolitan Immediately
asked the postmaster of New York for
the grounds. OF his action, but got no
answer. On March 8 it telegranhed +
the Postmaster General, ask;nc
whether the action was taken bv the
order Of the Postmaster General and
IT not what steps the Postmaster Cen
eral would take to repair the DAMAGE
done to the Metropolitan Magazine
On March II, the Postmaster Cen
eral replied to the 'Metropolitan,' stat
ing that accusations had been made
that an article in the 'Metropolitan
was traitorous efusion, but that he
, DID not know whether the complaints
were justified, and that no order had
Deen issued about it by the department,
lie did not answer the METROPOLITAN
question as to what steps would be
; taken to repair. the damage done it by
the conduct of the New York post
master. '00'-
"on the same day, the New York
postmaster wrote the 'Metropolitan'
, reversing his action of March 9. but
J making no apology, and making no
excuse.
"On March IL. the editor Of the
, metropolitan wrote to Mr.. Rurleson
saying, among other things. You must
} remem Der that there are great number
OF paclhsts and pro-Germans in this
country who would willingly put the
Metropolitan Magazine" out Of bus;-
ness because it is the most strongly
pro-Ally and .antiGerman publication
IN the country calling attention to
, tne TACT that statement attributed
:. to the Solicitor General of the depart.
, ment was obviously not in accord with
the facts, and that the Metropolitan
, could not accept newspaper state
r 1nents without confirmation from the
postmaster General, and asking for q
written statement from the Postmaster
General in the matter. He has re-
celved no such statement, nor has
any attempt been made by the Post.
once department to remedy the wrong
. 1t dld by the postmaster at New York
AZ the same time cne of the adver
@ Users in The Metropolitan Mr.. e. M
Mansur, OF Floral Park, N Y, received
aoaei. LETTER Il IRON a man in Chicago sug-
costing that he withdraw his advertise
ment because of the editorial in 'The
Metropolitan Magazine Mr.. Mansu,
declined to withdraw it, On April
he notified The Metropolitan that .
special agent Of the United States De.
partme~t Of Justice, named James A
Lorcoran, with shield No 1876, giving
MS aouress as BOX 241, Park Row, New
YORK City, called on him, with copies
1i the letters of this Chicago man tc
.. fMr: Mansur had stopped advertisinc
and wanted to know il he was going o1
advertising next year, and then IL he
were an American citizen. The Inst
query, taken in connection with The
first two, contained, Of course. an i'm.
plication that was in effect threat.
Boycott Plan Known to