The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1920-03-19
CONGRESSMAN DAvEY :
SCORES NEWS TRUST
ON FLOOR OF HOUSE
A -Colloquy in House Which
Gives An Insight AS To How
Representatives Try to Pass
Legislation.
PAPERS THAT CRITICIZE
GIVEN SHORT RATION

Readers of the Sentinel, many Of
them, realize that there are peculiar
incidents happening in~Congress ev-
cry week. Many of them, perhaps,
do not understand how legislation is
accomplished. Congressman Davey,
of this district, was on the floor the
other day in an effort to secure some
help for the newspapers by gaining
better prices from the trust on news
print. What happened in the colo
guy may interest our readers; it will
will give them an idea Of how things
are approached by our sedate Repre-
sentatives:
Mr.. Davey-Mr. Speaker and gen.
tlemen of the House, it seems to me
that in this matter we face condi-
ton and not theory. There are GER
tain outstanding facets in this news
paper situation. One is that the price
of print paper varies greatly. There
are some newspapers that can buy
their print paper for 41ac pound,
others for SC, others for SIC, and the
price ranges up.
Here are two or three other facts.
A publisher is told that he cannot
have his full needs on a contract ba-
sis. His contract desires are cut
down, but he is informed very polite
ly that perhaps by going to a certain
broker he can get the paper he
wants. Going to this broker he is
advised that he can have a certain
amount of paper at greatly in
creased price, nine, ten, or eleven
cents.
The fact stares us in the face that
there is injustice in the situation.
do not know whether this resolution
will get the results we want, but it
seems to me that something ought to
be done by this House to arrive at
the facts and equip us with the infor-
nation on which to act
Very evidently the screws are put
on certain publishers. For instance.
if newspaper complains about the
treatment it receives, and attacks
the socalled news print trust, then
that newspaper finds it almost impos-
sible to buy its supplies. AS an evi-
dence of that, I will merely refer to
the situation of the president of tho
Newspaper Publishers Assn who does
business in Birmingham, Ala. l do
not know the gentleman. I simply
nave heard the facts in the case in
general way. l have understood
that that man has been penalized and
punished as far as possible because
ne attacked the so-ccalleq trust. The
facts in the case are clear that the
prices vary. Papers of the same size
pay different prices. Very evidently
there has been a great increase in the
demand, and we have nothing to
blame for that except our enormous
prosperity. 1t appears on the sur
face that the news print manufacture
ers have taken unjust advantage of
the situation. l understand there is
a shortage of about 10 per cent per-
maps and prices have been boosted
way beyond reason, way beyond the
normal increase in the cost of the
production. 1t seems to me that tho
times now demand that something be
done by this House. We cannot gain
a thing, we cannot justify ourselves
Tor our failure by simply saving that
some one else ought to get busv
Mr.. Madden-Will the gentleman
yield? VAN sA''e'iiah
Mr.. Davey-I will.
Mr.. Madden-Does the gentleman
contend that this resolution will do
any good? VIII w
Mr. Davey-I have just said that
am not sure whether this is the meth
Cd or not. II this does not amount to
anything may l suggest to the pen.
tleman from Illinois that he pronose
suitable subtitute? 0p0'e
Mr.: Dowwell-Will the gentlema,
yield? e''o'i"i'
Mr.. Davey-I will.
Mr.. Dowell-In addition to the nas-
age OF this resolution, does not the
gentleman believe that the nassamo @
OF resolution directing the depart
ment OF Justice to proceed against
sne newspaper trust that he has re-
ferred to as controlling the print ~
per output, would be proper thinp7
Mr.. Davey-I understand the Dent
OF Justice is moving. ''
Mr.. Dowell-Wcaid not a reso,,,.
lion OF that character stimulate ~,
movement of the Dept. of Justice
Mr. Davey-I doubt it. Nav 7 sug-
gest to the gentleman that here I,
ms I'M ,.el city Of Washington the best it,
lie game that I know of is buck rrss.