New-York tribune., 1918-05-30
Newspaper Com mitt e c
Went Openly to Senate,
President of Associa-
ton Says
Simply Stated Case
Planned to Ask Similar Hear
ing From House at Proper
Time

WASHINGTON, May 29.-Frank +.
Glass, president of the American News
Publishers Association, issued state
ment here tonight answs~ing and en-
phatically denying the assertion in the
House yesterday by Representative
Kitchin, of North Carolina, that a
newspaper lobby, seeking modification
or repeal of the new second class post
age zone rates, was responsible for the
Administration insstencc that Con-
gress remain in session this summer
to enact revenue legislation.
"Ihe newspapers Of the country have
not maintained lobby here,r Mr..
Glass said. "The American Newspaper
Publishers Association, for which I
may speak, did not reconcile the DIFF
terences among its members on this
second-class postage oppression until
the last week of April. then appoint
ed a committee of representative
publishers to come here and to work
Tor relief. number came early in
TINS month and left after a few days.
Committee Came Openly
"That committee went openly to the
Senate where a postoffice appropriation
bill was pending, and obtained open
hearings from the Postoffice Committee
when they presented their arguments
frankly and forcefully in the presence
of the First Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral.
'Ihey made plea. either for amend
ment of the new law, so that it would
be just, fair and workable, or in case
there was not time for investigation
before July !, for a suspension of the
law until such a new measure could
be matured.
They made favorable impression
upon that committee. and | believe
mat the Senate is willing TODAY to
undo the injustice which the chairman
of the Senate Committee on Finance
Mr.. Simmons, made sort Of apolopv
last fall when he made the conference
committee report.
Have Not Asked Hearing
Neither the chairman of the pub
llshers' postal committee, nor |, has
ever asked Mr.. Kitchin or the POST
office Committee for any hearing in
the House. and, so far as I know, no
member of the committee has an
preached the House leader in anv ofli
cial way. When the proper time
shouid come, 1T has been the plan to
ask the House Postoffice or Ways and
Means committees for the same sort
H.
ate"
ut is interesting to see how frantic
Mr. kitchln's zeal is in this matter.
However, he is in poor position to
cry out against secrecy or undue inffu-
ehce, when it is q matter of record
that one of the most oppressive por-
mons OF the new second class POSTAGE
law, VIZ, that providing a special tax
on the advertising sections Of news
papers and magazines, was not in the
original revenue bill as passed by
either house. 1t was sneaked into
the conference committees report
without q hearing from those whom II
IS to "cpress and without discussion
IN either house. 1t is we'll under
stood that Mr.. Kitchin had large
hand in thai ndefensible course.
have not seen Secretary McAdoo
about this ratter nor President Will
son, but have faith in the great abil-
lty Of both Of them, and in their spirit
OF Justice, and I also have faith in
the majority of the very house to
which Mr.. Kitchin made his hvstcric
appeal | am confident that all the
true representatives of the people Of
this country do not want to see the
publications unfairly taxed at any
time, nor have they any patience with
innovations at this iuncture when the
Press OF the country must maintain its
highest efficiency in news quality and
IN circulation, to the end that the
morale of the American people be de-
veloped to the highest degree"