New Britain herald., 1921-12-30
TARIFF ON NEWsPRINT.

The question being discussed at the eenate tariff hearings concerning the justice of a tariff on newsprint is one in. which are interested not only the puhmshers of newspapers and the manufacturers of neWsprint, but also every reader of papers in the land and. most important of all at some periods of the counuy's history, the government itself It is a matter which must be viewed in an aspect which differs entirely from that of any other tariff proposal. Arguments which apply to any other business or industry are not applicable to this problem. There are no scales in which the justice of the case may be weighed other than those tuned to this one situation.
 Granting for the sake of argu- ment, that the contention of the American Newspaper Publishers As- sociation to the effect that American manufacturers of newsprint are un- able to supply the demand for that article is not absolutely true-that there is question about it; granting what is strenuous1y denied by pub fishers but alleged by newsprint man. ufacturers that undue influence" has been used to place newsprint on the free list--granting anything claimed by those financially interested in pro- tecting newsprint and keeping the price so high that it has scared at times far out of reach of many pub lishers-grant all thSse things and still the incontrolable facts remain to be faced-facts which should turn a powerful tidal wave of patriotic public sentiment against the' placing Of a tariff gon newsprint. These are some of the facts: E 4
 No great woH for the public well fare may succeed without the general support 5of. the press. Similarly no big, altruistfe. local enterprise may succeeA without such support { x No general educational progress may be made without the aid of the press, other than that which comes slowly through, the schools. And even the schools seek and need and are given gladly the aid of the press in establishing new, improved meth ods, in taking up the splendid work freshly devised from year to year as progress comes.
 No city, town. village or community may remain alive to a threatened dan ger, may become aware of a promis- ing opportunity without the aid of the press.
 And finally the country itself could not long remain safe, it's people con tented, its government ready always to meet any emergency SIS it met the emergency of the war, were it not for the jealous, eager, efficient aid given it by the press
 These facts considered, let there be added the one which is the heart of the whole matter. Whatever may be said in argument, whatever may he ones political opinion on the matter Of protection or free trade. this fact, remains
 All over the country during the recent period of the great scarcity of newsprint. which no government ef- fort or no effort of private individ- uals could alter, newspapers ceased publication, newspapers consolidated newspapers resorted 10 every eXped- lent to keep plants running and all to no avail in many cases. The voice which carried the appeals 10 aid in the great causes of tn world. the voice which informed the people of this country of the things necessary to be done, the voice which was ready all ways to carry the country's call to the most remote hamlets of the land and to spread that call to the ears of those who dwelt in the greatest of cites-that voice was mufrlcd or si- fenced.
 There must never again ccome a time when a like danger, real awful will threaten.