New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
Camp Officers Refuse to
Admit s'New York Amer
ican" and "Journal"
Dealer Keeps
Them Out
He Yields to Sentiment of Sol
diers and Quits Handling
Publications

MINEOLA, Long Island, June l.
Hearst newspapers were barred from
the Mineola aviation field No. 2 to-day.
Camp guards, acting on instructions
from aviation headquarters, kept
Hearst newspapers out, after the camp
dealer had refused to handle them.
Camp officers reported that not a
single copy of "The New York Ameri-
can" or journal" was admitted to the
United States Government ground to-
day, while formerly Hearst sales aver
aged 700 copies a. day at that flying
field.
Since 1.-THE American" deleted the
victory prayer from the Presidents
message several New York and New
Jersey cities, and one town as far
away as California, have taken steps
to bar Hearst newspapers from their
limits. Montclair, N. j., through its
militia reserve, has appealed to Presi-
dent Wilson direct to suppress all
Hearst newspapers in the United
States. Ensign S. Scharff. of the
United States Navy, publicly tore up a
number of copies of "The Journal on
Broadway last week. Hearst papers
have been destroyed at nearby ship
building plants. But the Mineola avia-
ton field was the first "war arm" of
the government to deny the Hearst
newspapers the right to pass on federal
preserves.
Officers Supported Dealer
Camp officers did not themselves
place the ban on Hearst newspapers.
Bernard Britain, the camp newsdealer,
did it. He quit handling daily papers
published by Hearst.
He told officers that it cost hin,
money to do it,, but he abruptly ceased
bringing Hearst papers to camp.
At a recent meeting of the Long
Island Newsdealers' Association, mem
bers urged that the entire association
quit selling Hearst newspapers. The
organization decided that as an organl-
zation it would not cease handling
Hearst papers. However, 1t appointed
a publicity committee whose job it was
to let Long Island localities know that
the association member in any COM
munity that objected to Hearst papers
would quit delivering those publlca-
tions in that community.
. Britain told camp officers that the
aviation field had evinced a most de-
cided objection to Hearst newspapers.
"The soldiers in the camp" the news
dealer told one of the officers, "did not
want to buy newspapers, and they did
not seem to wish to see others about
camp reading them. When | saw hom
the men felt about it, l cancelled my
order for Hearst papers"
Refused to Lift Ban
While camp officers did not place the
ban on Hearst newspapers, they re-
fused to lift the ban after Britain had
clamped on the lid.
Britain is the only person who has a
military pass emitting him to enter
the Mineola Aviation Field to sell daily
papers. -.
After Britain quit handling Hearst
newspapers in camp, the circulation of
those publications stopped automAtical-
ly. Thereupon a special representative
Of Hearst hurried to camp and demand
ed that the camp officers issue pass
to a second newsdealer-a Hearst agent
who would distribute "New York
Americans" and Journals" on the> avi-
alton field if Britain would not.
The camp officers ahtly refused to
issue the pass, WnlCn Wou!u nave pei
mitted Hearst to dispatch his own
agent to the flying field with Jour
nails" and "Americans."
After the first Hearst emissary had
encountered this "stone wall" flock
of Hearst agents descended uron the
flying field. Five arrived in one group.
At first they argued that Hearst
newspapers should be allowed to pass
the camp boundaries. But the camp
guards had their orders. Then the
Hearst men pleaded. Next they de-
manded.
But the camp officers remained un-
moved. They refused to grant that
pass for Hearst's special news agent.
In Camp Mills, the aviation fields
neighbcr, Hearst newspapers have not
been barred as yet; but it was report
ed to-day that Hearst circulation at
Mills had dropped.