The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-06-01
FOSSILS A UNIQUE GROUP IF FORMER
 AMATEUR EDITORS
Many of Nations Prominent Men Formerly Issued Their Own Amateur
 Publications
By HARRY WILSON WALKER

Q6iIO0tiOltO
 By HARRY WILSON WALKER Washington, May S1.-CSpecial.) J. Senator George H. Moses of New Hampshire is interesting himself in movement to secure pound rates for the amateur journals of the country. This may not be the largest kind of rews, from one point of view, but it means much to hundreds of young men and women all over the country and it also may become a matter of importance to the publishers of many of the high school journals
 1 Above all, it brings to mind that i the amateur Journalists of 30 and 10 years ago have contributed to the pro- l ressional and business world a great many men who have attained distinc- tion. First. however. as to the pres ent situation. The post office regu- lations require that publication to he entitled to second class rates must have a. paid subscription list and be | issued regularly at least four times year. Most of the school and college publications are able to comply with these requirements, although some do not do so, or at least have not been granted the second class privilege. But the young man and women who | edit and oftentimes print their own | papers are out in the cold, and have been ever since 1879. Up to that time l the amateur papers could be distribu- ted for 1 cent pound, but some of the rostmasters complained that the sheets were too small to be bothered with, and for this or some other reason the l privilege. was discontinued. Now the 1 powerful organization known as "The Tossils"-persons who condtSted anna I teur newspapers in their youth-has taken up the cause of the young edi- tors, and Senator Moses declares that if he cannot secure ruling admitting the amateur sheets to the second-class privilege he will go after legislation that will let them in.
 The Fossils, by the way, are about .he clubbiest lot of people 10 be found anywhere. They not only maintain an | organization which gives dinners more or less regularly in New York, but they publish magazine of their own, l edited by J. Austin Fynes, formerly l editor of the New York Clipper who l finds time from his manifold duties in connection with the moving picture business to get the magazine out. He keeps in continual touch with all the ol6 boys and the journal is filled
 
 | Leader Among Amateurs
 The amateur journalist is In a class | ny himself. He is of all ages and kinds, and he often continues the pub l hcation of his journal into his young manhood, so fascinating does he find l the work. One of the most illustrious of the type is found in the person of John Milton Heins of Ridgefield Park. l x. J.
 | Master Heins is only 13 years olG and has been publishing his paper for | two years. He does all the work him. self and prints the cover in colors; and so impressed with the little pape r was the proprietor of one of the great iithographic and publishing establish ments Of his state that he invited the 1 boy to visit his plaftsands showedt hjn ] ell over 1t. Hundreds if not thousand: l Of boys all over the country are en. I gagged in like, enterprises, although fl is doubtful if any of them, at least al so tender an age, has attempted coIol l Irinting,
 Many Become Professionals
 Naturally many of the amateur IS \ have graduated into professional jour nahsm. A conspicuous example IS i "osephus Daniels, former Secretary O, the Navy, who began his newspaper career as the publisher of his owr Journal Another is Charles Scribner l ol SHdrles ScrlDnerS Sons although l can hardly be sai dthat amateu, Journalis mdirected Mir. Seribner into 1 the publishing business. William V. Icrhune, publisher of the Boot and | Shoe Recorder of Boston. is an old amateur journalist. So is Joseph Dan. l Miller poet, and editor of the Single Tax. In the same list is ". K. Mur- p1y, editorial writer of the Philad al- phia Ledger Nathan Cole, for eisfr1 1 years member of the democratic na tlonal committee from California founded the Los Angeles Times as a I result or the itch for the business he had caught while an amateur journal- ] ist.
 Prominent Fossils
 | Senator Moses himself who is nov trying to help the boys out was once Tn the amateur ranks and then drifted i onto the staff of the Concord Monitor. CT which he was part editor when he 1 was selected to the Senate. Governor l sproul of Pennsylvania once printed a paper Of his own when boy So did Charles H. Chase of New York. mana l ger of the Astor estate One of tho iivest of Fossils is John F Walsh. | president, of the Union Dry Dock com 1 pany of Weehawken, N J., who recent I ly entertained all the Fossils at A din- her at which he was presented with a loving cup. James M Beck. formerly assistant attorney general of the l united States and ona of the most dis tnguished of republican platform ora tors, always has kept in touch with the men whose acquaintance he made "hlie ne was an amateur journalist