New-York tribune., 1919-01-16
Soldiers Duped by Hearst Agent
In Praising Publisher, Say Officers

and elected he had had time to leave
number of memorial sheets with SOL
diers on various floors.
Private John Mckinney, of Ward B.
mailed one of these to The Tribune
yesterday with the following letter:
am taking the liberty of sending
| you the inclosed. A civilian STONED
two of the boys on the ninth floor fPpnJ and
asked them if they would mind taking
II around and have it signed lie also
nlhted that there would probably be a
llttlc money in it for them.
When man has to offer money to
get people to attest his patriotism in
war time he should retire. You can
see from what the soldiers wrote un-
uer lhe memorla) what was the answer
OF the ninth floor boys"
The wounded men in Private McKin-
ney's ward read the typewritten mat
Ter on the petition" before any foun-
tam pens were numbered, and in
stead OF signatures there was an i'm
provised slogan.
''To He'll With Hearst"
1t read as follows:
.r "Ihe soldiers Of this hospital say:
This was signed: "The Ninth Floor
Gang, Debarkation Hospital No. 90
Army officers yesterday told the his
10y u 'iie eHlDdrgO on Hearst news
papers at the hospital. This han an
Hearst publications began almost e; i'
multaneously with the opening Of the
debarkation unit. '''~
for long time Hearst folk were not
aware that the "American" and "Fve
nlng journal" were not being adn,itted
TO the hospital. Five hundred copies
OF each paper were delivered dailv for
rec als,rlnutlon; The newspapers were
hoce hhocep,ea, put they remained in the
basement, hospital officers said. Now
and then the accumulated bundles
would De trucked to junk dealer
r, hospital officers said yesterday that
hearst newspapers did not remain in
the basement because of any sentiment
among officers alone-the patients M
stars simply did not want those pub-
lI1catlons. Finally, following insistent
hearst protests, two Hearst news
papers day were placed in the hos
pltal library, and these, the officers
sald. were enough to satisfy the hos
| plt-I demand.
Chaplain Is De ,eived
Finally, on Tuesday, Hearst men wero
able to get Hearst newspapers in large
quantities into the hospital. On Mon
DAY man who said he was a newsdeal-
er' told Chaplain Gerhard he would like
10 send five hundred daily newspapers
free to the hospital each dav. Father
Gerhard welcomed the offer.
tuesday the five hundred dailv New
York newspapers were distributed
through the hospital. They turned out
70 be all Evening Journals" Father
The Circulation Department,
"Sirs: 'Ai "'''
esterday man came into my office
with an offer to distribute FREQ of
charge metropolitan newspapers each
day to the wounded men in this in
stitution I told him in the course Of
my conversation with him that would
be willing TO attend to the distribution
Of these papers in the event of his
sending them in, but that | would be
unable to permit him or his agent to
come in with them.
Chaplain Rejects Papers
"Today learn that tho newspapers
he was referring to- but which he did
not mention by name in his conver rsa-
ton with nc, were copies Of The New
York ,tvening Journal / am writing
TO inform you that | am unwilling. in
view OF this further information that
lns come to mo regarding the inten-
tions of this man. who | presume rep
."I"SSu tou, W NlIoW inc distribution
OF those papers In this hospital.
"ln'view Of tho attitude Of the, man
agemcnt Of THE Ncw York Evening
journal expressed in your editorials
and news columns and revealed in the
recent investigations by q Congres-
blonhl committee, cannot reconcile nv
position ~ chaplain In this institution
with participation in the dissemination
OF the ideas which you have so fre-
qnentIy and frnnkly given cxpreasion
70. hy position here has very directly
TO do with tho loyalty maintained by
the patients In this hospital toward
thair country and with tho encourage
ment OF their admiration of those
COUNTRIES which arc allied with us in
tha way has bean fought. IL liz clear
10 mo that my duty here cannot be- rec
oneiled with compliance TO the request
rnndo OF mo yesterday,
y shall be grateful II you will at
tend tO thu In, m nd iatn (..a!...