Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-16
QUICK REPORT EXPECTED
ON BILL TO SAVE PAPER
Executive Sessions of House Post
Office Committee to Be Held I'm
til Plan Is Agreed On.

An early report by the House post
office committee on the Anthony bill.
designed to conserve the news print
paper supply by limiting to twenty
four pages daily newspapers and
periodicals using the second-class
mail privilege, was expected today.
Executive sessions Of the commit
tee. beginning today, will be held
until recommendation is agreed
upon. after which members planned a
prompt report to the House.
Hearings on the bill were closed
yesterday, at which representatives
of the smaller newspapers told the
committee that. unless use of print
paper by the big city dailies could
be curtailed thousands of publications
in small cities and towns would be
forced out of business. Those ap-
pearing in behalf of the metropoli-
tan papers opposed the bill and de-
clared that restrictions on the size
materially aid the smaller newspa-
pers, but would work a great, if not
insurmountable. hardship on the larger
publishers.
Opposition Made by Some.
Opposition to the measure during
yesterdays hearing came chiefly from
the representatives of the larger
newspapers. who declared that re-
strictions on the size would do little
to remedy the situation resulting
from the shortage of paper, and
would serve only to work a great if
not fatal hardship on the large news
papers Of the country.
Speaking for the Chicago Tribune.
a large user OF paper, James M. Pat
terson declared that the twenty-four-
page restriction would affect only
a 1N,p< "a vNyNk
it into effect Immediately would bank
rupt many of the papers. The larger
papers, he told the committee. were
willing to accept 10 per cent cut,
but were strongly opposed to the An
thony proposal, which he estimated in
some cases would amount to cut or
so per cent. Many Of the larger pa.
pers. he added, already had Instituted
reductions in size amounting to more
than 10 per cent.
Coal Embargo SugEested.
Suggestion that an embargo be
placed on coal to Canada until Cana
dian newspapers. which. he said, were
using all the news PRINT they desired
agreed to submit to the Same con-
servation program forced on the
newspapers Of the United States was
made by II. L. Rogers. business man
ager of the Chicago Daily News. This
action could be justified. he added, by
the fact that Canadian pulp mills
used American coal in making their
product.
The prospective shortage of print
paper for 1920 was estimated at 2OO,-
900 tons by Frank P. Glass. publisher
Of the Birmingham (Ala.) News and
president of the American Publishers
Association. He predicted. however.
that relief from the shortage would
come within six months.
Congress, Mr.. Glass declared. either
should give the Federal Trade Com
mission full power to handle the entire
news print paper situation or should ap-
point a paper controller with powers
similar to those of the fuel admins
traitor.
Would Destroy Some.
."The Anthony BILL" asserted Brad
ford Merrill, business manager OF the
Hearst group of newspapers. would
destroy some sixy-flve great news
papers, representing in every case a
lifetime and, in some cases, three or
more generations Of effort, to benefit
in only a small degree the rest OF the
newspapers of the country. 1t would
place an embargo on initiative and
tend to encourage sluggards''
Speaking for the Kansas-Missouri
Publishers Association in support of
the bill, Herbert Cavaness denied
statements by metropolitan publishers
that the country dailies and weeklies
could obtain plenty Of print paper If
contract for 1t. Scores of publishers
in his section, he said, were running
on a day-to-day basis. had no visible
supply and were utterly unable to
make contracts at any price for the COM
ing year.