Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-01-06

snow storm is almost certain, if it
comes, to delay deliveries. TO some
newspapers, working with q very
small margin, this might mean tempo
rary suspension and consequently u
heavy loss.
When the federal trade commission
first fixed a prices. 10--the manu-
facturers said openly that they might
better close their mills than produce
paper at less than $4 a hundred, +. o.
b. mill. They have kept on repeating
it ever since-and the production for
1918 has fallen 100000 tons below
what might have been expected in
happier times.
Some of the manufacturers are even
now saying that they think seriously
Of turning their machines to the pro-
duction OF other grades of paper, not
, withstanding the fact that since hos
tilities ceased consumption of several
kinds of these papers has fallen off
and that last month number of mills
producing board, wrapping, manila,
etc, We're shut down for considerable
periods for lack of orders.
To aggravate the situation, there is
the menace of export. South America
10 SduiS Ill lltth VI ilO"S PAiItt anu IS
willing to pay high price for it. Some
South American countries refuse to
allow their vessels that touch at Am
erican ports to return without some
print paper in cargo. England is suf-
fering shortage, and France, Bel
GUM and Italy are in almost desper-
ate straits. The United States has
always been an importer of news print
never having produced enough for its
needs At present bottoms to carry
any considerable amount to other
countries are not available. 1t is free
~ predicted that when they are. the
already short supply, which has been
growing shorter during the past year,
will he further depleted by imports
in excess of the usual high figure OF
5000 tons month. 1t is unnecessary
to saw what win happen then to those
American publishers who cannot even
now assure themselves that they will
get enough to keep their presses run
ming during the coming wear.
Notwithstanding, Philip 7 Dodge,
prcsiden tot the international Paper
company. who as u rule expresses the
sentiment of all the manufacturers,
says the trend of news print across the
ocean will have to be in the contrary
direction. Speaking to Editor & Pub
Usher Mr.. Dodge said
"If present conditions continue the
publishers will have to go.to foreign
countries for paper. The government
and tho publishers are driving the
news print business out of the United
States.
"In the past ten years no new mills
for news print have been erected. In
that time only two companies, the In
ternational and the Great Northern
have materially increased their out
put. In the last two years many mills
equipped for making news print have
gone to making other kinds of paper
"Canadiap manufacturers have far
ed much better than those. of the
United States and have steadily in
creased their sales here They have
enjoyed the advantages of having this
country put their paper on the free
list, while six foreign nations have a
duty on paper exported from our
country.
under present governmental regu-
lation, the United States mills are
quoting the same price as the Cana
dian mills which were parties to the
agreement. despite the fact that the
circuit judges and the federal trade
commission reported that 1t cost 81
more to make ton of paper in the
United States than it cost to make the
same paper in Canada.
THE profit indicated by the federal
judges ON appeal as proper one OF
the amount of money invested was a
gross. not net profit. When taxes
and other necessary changes were de-
Quoted the profits of the Internation-
al were found to be less than $40 a
ton
1.-The labor market for 1919 depends
on how far the government plays poll
tics Wages in the paper industry
as inI many other kinds of business
will Have to recede. This will be ac-
compdnied by filling in cost, of neces-
sities,So that the workman will, aft
ter all, | believe, be in a better posi-
ton than before the war"