Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-22
SAYS PRESS HEAD
WAS UTILITY AIDE
Probe Witness Declares Ten
neSsee Editor Was Paid
$225 a Month.

rv the Associated Press.
EMPLOYMENT by the Tennessee Public
Service information Bureau OF the heat
Of the Tennessee Press Association wa,
c.fseloSed today in the testimony Of Guy
T Nevburn Of Nashville. director OF III.
utility publicity organization, in the Fed
raj Trade Commissions utility inveSu'
Newourn testified that his assistant
Ench poak. owner and editor OF tbs
Manchester, Tenn. Times, was preSlden,
O. the Tennessee Press Association. ano
that the information bureau paid DoaS
So3S q month for his services.
Newburn said he entertained news
psoerraen and editors as part OF ms
fro ont Of the funds of his bureau
which were supplied by electric, gas
street railway, telephone and water
Conpsuies. He said the organization
w.s created in 1922, and that Ross
Murphy, a former newSpapernlan. was
C..estor until 1925. when Newburn suc-
cseded Murphy. Newburn said that ne
was former newspaper man, haVnls
v-crxed en- the Memphis Commercial
Frass. and had worked for the MISSOURI
Tacific Railroad Co.
Gives Account of Finances.
Nevburn said the bureau had spent
farm $1,000 to $4,000 each year IN
carving on its public relations work,
and that cut of the funds the bureau
nsid his membership in several or
Limitations. including the Nauonai
fyl,ar,her of Commerce and the Trafhc
CIub at Memphis. The organization
a,so paid for his automobile, he SAID.
Newburn said pamphlets had been
distributed in the schools OF tennessee
and that. while no text books had oeen
Placed in the schools, ne thougne
S-f,ooi principals who were on the gen.
ersI mailing list of the bureau had re-
ce.ved all matter distributed by his or
caaization. He said his bureau DIS
frjb,,teS monthly the Tennessee Utility
News. a l6-page magazine, ana tnat II
went to 4.6oo persons.
Healy asked Newburn why he wanted
70 keep the editors friendly ana New
h,,rr replied that without the friend
shin Of newspaper editors I don't tnink
that any business can succeed"
Questioned on Address.
Questioned about an address he made
tn 1927 at Atlanta, Ga, before the
Southeastern division of the National
Electric Light Association. Newburn said
tnat he had stated the utilities publicity
bureaus placed first Importance on
contact with the newspapers and news
paper editors and the pepoie IN the
communities. Gan the country
editor by his first name and slap him
on the hack. Public speaking Is of Sec
onS importance and contact With the
schools is third"
Healy asked Newburn if he had sue
ceeded in slapping the country editors
c. Tennessee on their backs. Newourn
replied, partly"
Newburn said that in the address he
urged the utility man to get the coun-
try editors to the point where they VIII
print and carry 'our message and look
oFsr all propaganda that goes to their
papers."
statement of the publicity obtained
In Tennessee newspapers during the
past six months through news releases
and the bureaus publication showed
that 81 ,246 column inches Of utility
news had been published. Another docu-
neut introduced showed that the bu-
reau distributed 5000 pamphlets on
electricity. gas, and electric railways
to Tennessee schools, libraries, colleges,
newspaper and State ofncials.
The news releases introduced, New
burn testified contained attacks on
municipal ownership Of utilities ana
Government operation Of Muscle Shoals.
Document introduced.
In connection with Newburn's testi-
,a1ony a document taken from his Of
nee files and signed by Ross Murphy,
former director, disclosed the activities
Of the utilities In Tennessee to save the
Public Utilities Commission In o Tight
IN the State Legislature.
The document was undated, but was
addressed to the directors gathered at
the Midwest session OF the National
Electric Light Association. Murphy
wrote that on the suggestion OF j. B.
Sheridan Of st. Louis. director Of the
Missouri utilities committee, he cited
what has just happened In Ten.
nessee. where violent assault on the
public utilities commission was repelled.
Back In. last Summers pri-
mary campaign Of Democratic and Re-
publican candidates for the governor
ships. perfunctory statements calling for
the adjustment Of the commission were
ISSUED. The resentment toward the
commission was brought about by the
increase In rates and the apparent in
ability 70 secure reductions In our four
larger cities Of Memphis, Nashville,
Chattanooga and Knoxville.
There was no serious sentiment
aroused on the question. even In the
final election between our present gov
ernor and Gov. All Taylor Gov. Tay-
IoY, who two years ago had urged the
adjustment Of the commission, repeat
ed his appeal on this point two days
before the campaign erided In char
scteristic statement sent TO Memphis,
where much Of our sentiment, Of course,
developed
Ia Lac
eject AuEtin Peay made no further ut
terances along this line until his in
aRgu.sl Then he briefly called for a
restoration 10 the cities Of the right TO
contract. which, Of course, implied that
Sae utility need not be required 70 con-
tract unless IL was advantageous and
5n event q contract was not made, the
rontross:-. might go 70 the commission.
Eecalis Special Message.
Thus our Legislature opened On jan
uary With no definuite program in
mind and without any newspaper or
political agitation for the repeal Of the
public utilities act" Neuburn said that
lister the governor sent a special mes
a1ge 70 the Legislature 70 repeal the act
sn1 80 complete was his control OF
the House that the repeal went sailing
through by a vote Of 70 10 IL"
While the newspaper comment has
been friendly TO the commission rule
and generally fair 70 what should be
accorded the utilities. when the govern
or applied this lash the storm broke
Sc fun fury.
only the concerted activity OF every
public utility industry in the State saw
ed the commission In the Senate, the
repeal bill being tabled by a vote OF
10 10 IL" Murphy wrote that they de-
yendec entirely on Tennessee talent 70
present their side TO the commission
and the only outside influence brought
TO bear was our bureaus Use Of .
telegram from the Investment Bankers