Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-26
PUBLISHER SEES
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SUBSCRIPTION CUT
Continued from page 1,


former lies chiefly beyond the control
of the publisher, tho latter In entire
ly beneath his own roof.
"As a further alleviation OF the high
cost of production, many insist that
labor costs are too high and that the
chief end to be sought IL a reduction
In the wage scale OF ekilled workmen.
While It is conceded that some re-
duction In in order from the very
topnotch prices still being paid. and
while these reductions seem certain
TO come In course OF time. yet there
Is another and l think better light In
which TO consider this problem---se-
curing greater and moro efficient re-
turns from labor. Publishers gener-
ally are not adverse to giving labor
a high wage In keeping with the ex-
perience and skill required by the busi-
ness, but In return they have right
to insist on days work in con-
structive labor, producing something
OF real value to the employer.
During the period OF business re-
adjustment we have been passing
through tho publisher has had to look
out for elimination Of waste, increas-
ing OF efficiency and lowering OF costs
on every hand. Is 1t not a good time
for the news printing trades unions
to do likewise? In this day OF In
dustrial economy, when lowering tho
cost of producing the necessities OF
life means so much to the welfare OF
mankind, does II not seem strange
that trades unions should have In
their code of laws regulations de-
signed exclusively for the purpose OF
creating Jobs and not producing us
able production for the employer?
There is today In all the large
cities scarcity OF printers, press
men and stereotypers. IL the six
day week rule WAS suddenly enforced
there would be hundreds OF news
papers badly crippled in getting out.
Statistics from the large cities will
show that a very considerable per
centage of printers, pressmen and
stereotypers are at present working. or
being paid for. from seven. eight and
nine and In some exceptional cases
even ten and eleven days a week
THE hight cost of labor. therefore, Is
not so serious n matter now as secur-
ing the cooperation OF labor TO give
efficient, full time u,sble work ir
return" he continued, and in de.
vising some means Of attracting and
training apprentices in the trades st
that there will be sufficient labor t
meet the future dema nds OF tho rapid
ly growing and expanding newspaper
business. However. II is conceded, OF
all sides, that present wage scale'
are too high and that reductions mus
follow the general market in all line
Of production.
"In view OF conditions cited, ther,
can be no Justification whatever 70
the 44-hour week in newspaper offices
. and the full force OF the association
will continue against 1t. Besides, ap
premiership lawg should be change,
40 as 10 invite more Apprentices Il
the various trades, instead OF repeIlinl
|. them, a. present restrictions apparent
ly do. Publishers, in order to pro
tect their own interests, present an
future. should see that the full quot
OF apprentices are carried In eac
!. department.
~ CHI lot mo I0v1VAi OF the oonDef
: vative committee wAs mAde by N,
Williams. who called for an aSgras
sive campaign against waste In tn
= handling OF newsprint, freight hau,
( standardization OF roll lengths. weigh
OF paper. press room waste, cor
waste, etc.
With the softening OF newsprir
prices. there has come the tendenc
In a few quarters to reduce subscriJ
ton prices he continued. TT
gratifying to note that the experimer
|. has been made in only a few instance
: these being reductions chiefly fro
three cents TO two cents daily, an
= according TO data reported 10 the trad
= publications, results In the way Of Gil
culation gains have been so negliKb
- II Is certain the thought OF general r,
I duction is absurd and unthinkable.
. Likewise, any thought OF reducir
advertising rates. the present cost
: news print. T. o. b. sidewalk, u II
J! per cent higher than the pre-ws
= price. while the compilation Of liz
!. rates OF newspaper shows only a ver
4 moderate Increase in rates over Il
!. same period. Advertisers have come
appreciate these facts, and in the bus
- ness revival that is now under wa
= there Is seldom heard a serious con
Y plaint about high afas Frny,, tho~. x.-.