Evening star., 1938-01-08
MAIL SUBSIDY POLL
TAKEN BY PAPERS
Publishers Postal Group
Will Decide Stand on
DiSContinuanCe.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK. Jan. ga poll OF the
Postal Committee of the American
Newspaper Publishers Association is
being mace to decide the stand that
body will take on President Roose-
velts proposed discontinuance of mail
subsidies" for publications.
The majority vote is expected to
be disclosed today in statement deal
ing with the question Of second-class
postage rates.
Officials of the American Society
OF Newspaper Editors yesterday de-
clined to comment without action by
that body, but some heads of re-
gional publishers groups expressed
opinions
George Morell of Palo Alto, presi-
dent of the California Newspaper Pub
fishers Association, said:
Il believe California newspapers will
indorse abolition of so-called press
subsidies, which are in reality not
subsidies but low rates based on guam
tity, providing the absolute subsidies
under which Federal Departments and
Congressman now mail out postage
free an enormous volume of depart
mental and personal publicity are
simultaneously abolished"
Would Start Movement.
He said, Il am personally willing to
initiate such movement in California
on the above stated basis"
w. F. Wiley of Cincinniti, president
of the Ohio Newspaper Association,
said:
Repeal of the second-class privilege
would destroy most country weeklies.
''Neighborhood news is not dissem-
mated by radio or any other means
and is of distinct value to rural dwell
ers. Excellent mail delivery will not
help the small publisher if he must
pay an eXorbitant price for its en-
ployment, nor will his clientele be
willing to do so.
An increased rate will not harm
the metropolitan publisher greatly be-
cause the bulk of his output is sold
and delivered by his own organization,
nor will the Post Office Department
be greatly prof1ted by an increased
rate to the city publisher. There are
so many other spots in the present
Federal establishment where real saw
ingS and economies can be effected
that there is no excuse for attempting
to penalize both publisher and reader
for meager saving in the sacred and
prostituted name of economy"
Not Losses to Department.
S. r. Winch of Portland, Oreg.,
president of the Pacific Northwest
Newspaper Association, said:
Il am unable to understand the
Presidents reference to mail subsi-
dies to newspapers. To the best Of
my knowledge exhaustive investiga-
tions in the past have shown rates
charged metropolitan newspapers for
mail services are not losses to the
Post Office Department"
F. D. ,Corson of Lockport, N. Y,
president of the New York State
Publishers Association, declined to
comment, but said he believed the
question would be taken up at q
publishers State meeting opening in
Syracuse Monday.
r. r. O'Brien of Council Bluffs,
Iowa, president of the Inland Daily
Press Association, said
"The President has been misin-
formed. Removing the privilege of
free mail in the county of publica-
ton would affect mainly the smallest
dailies and the weekly newspapers.
This latter class would be hurt badly.
Most large dailies now deliver their
own papers and could easily take over
their entire country distribution"
Cites Rural Readers.
Silliman Evans, publisher Of the
Nashville Tennessean and former
Fourth Assistant Postmaster under
James A. Farley, said the New York
Daily News, whose correspondent
brought up the subsidy" question,
was almost entirely carrier-deliv-
cred and news-stand-sold in metro
politan New York"
Speaking for the Tennessean, Mr..
Evans said comparatively small
amont of our circulation goes by Sec
ond-class mall" but:
This mail circulation, due to the
second-class regulations of the Post
Ohice Department, we believe, is .
service to q fine population, and We
are glad to render it, subject of course
to the wishes Of the Post Once De-
! partment. Its discontinue
ance would be Of no great financial
loss to us, but we believe would de-
prive these readers Of the rural Sec
tions Of the opportunity of reading
the news Of the dav = = An