The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1920-05-11
MUNSEY PREDICTS
ten CENT DAILIES
BIG PAPERS AS WELL AS LITTLE
FELLOWS ARE UP AGAINST
THE PAPER QUESTION.

WASHINGTON.-Five and even |
10 cent daily newspapers were pre-
dicted TODAY by Frank A. Munsey, |
New York publisher Appearing be-
fore the senate committee lnvestlgat-
ing the newsprint paper shortage ne
urged drastic reduction in the news !
print and government regulation !
both of the paper and wood pulp |
source. !
William Randolph Hearst, another
New York publisher, in a letter to |
the committee, advocated a 20 or 20 !
per cent cut in the size of the |;
newspapers. but said he believed the |
time for government regulation had !
passed
Mr.. Hearst urged that publishers
double both advertising and circula- |
ton rates. saying such action would |
automatically cut down the size and !
number of copies without reducing |
revenue.
The government would not reduce
I newsprint consumption by regulat- |
! ing the number of papers admitted |
to the mails, Mr. Munsey told the |
committee, because scarcely none of |
the large dailies rely for their reve-
nue. on mail circulation.
Both publishers agreed that the
great Sunday editions of the city
papers were important factors in the |
situation. Mr. Munsey advocated |
regulations limiting the Sunday edi-
lions to the sizes of the weekday !
editions, mot more than twenty-four
pages" Mr.. Hearst wrote that he
had cut the size of his paper 20 and
25 per cent without adversely affect
ing his revenue or causing complaint
from subscribers.
! Cooperation between publishers
to economic in the use of print pa
per would result in "a total curtail-
ment of 20 or 25 per cent and would
solve the problem" Mr.. Hearst
wrote. Mr.. Munsey took an opposite
view He told the committee that
cooperation could not be made eff
fective because some publishers
would not enter into an agreement.
Commenting on the spot market
situation, Mr.. Munsey said when spot
paper went to II cents a pound he
ceased buying and relied upon con-
tract newsprint for which he now
pays cents.
Asked by Senator Gronna, republi-
can, North Carolina, if it was not
true that the small country pub
fishers had no contracts and were
forced to rely on brokers buying on
the spot market, Mr. Muneey said he
believed such was the case, but added
that many city publishers were in a
Isimilar situation.
Paper Absurdly High.
l. fc1s
newsprint paper bought on
1.-THE spot market are due to "cor-
ner' resulting naturally from the
present shortage. George McAneny,
executive manager of the New York
Times, declared today before the sem
ate committee investigating the pa
per situation The market price is
twice or three times as much as that
for paper bought under contracts.
Brokers and small manufacturers
were blamed by Mr.. McAneny for
the high prices. Answering ques-
ton by Senator Reed, democrat, of
Missouri, as to whether there was
profiteering, he said 'they are sell
ing the paper
Frank P. Glass, of Birmingham,
Ala, until recently president of the
American Publishers Association, de-
scribed spot market prices as excess
i've, and without distinguishing big
and little manufacturers added that |
the paper makers were making "big |
profits"
Publishers from Boston, Phila-
delphia, Providence, Pittsburg and
Baltimore are scheduled to appear !
as witnesses, and committeeman in
Dictated today that the investigation |
would be directed at profiteering, |
manufacturing costs, selling prices, |
paper consumption and advertising. |
Among today's witnesses charles I
Lane, of the New York Evening Post, !
and Mr. McAneny suggested the best |
remedy for the spot market condi-
ton was for the publishers to stop |
competitive bidding.
Price fixing, government control |
of distribution and limitation on the !
size of publications by a postal ban
were opposed by the metropolitan
publishers. Arthur W. Dunn, rep
resenting the American Press Asso-
citation, which serves a number of
small dailies, however, declared the
smaller publishers favored govern
ment control distribution. but did not
know whether legislation to that end
would be constitutional.
The complaint of the small pub
Usher, voiced by Mr. Dunn, was that
they were compelled to pay the high
prices while the big publishers, able
to buy in large quantities, bought
cheaper under contracts,
as someone profiteering?" asked
Senator Reed.
eyes, somebody is making a good,
big profit out of it," answered Mr..
Dunn, adding, however, that he was
unable to give any evidence of COM