Evening star., 1941-10-02
Chain Newspapers
Menace Democracy,
Guffey Charges
BIumes VenuI Press
For Fall Of France;
AssoiIs Roy Howard
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Declaring that chain newspaper
publishing has become a menace to
democratic institutions" Senator
Guffey, Democrat, of Pennsylvania
told the Senate today that 1.-The time
has come when legislation should be
introduced and considered looking
to the curtailment of the chain
newspaper industry"
Senator Guffey, consistent admin
istration supporter, said Roy How
ard, head of the Scripps- Howard
newspapers, had refused President
Roosevelt's request that he seek to
improve United States relations
with South America.
That's the kind of patriot this
particular chain newspaper publish
er reveals himself to be-" Senator
Guffey continued in a prepared ad-
dress. THE only man called by the
President, the commander in chief
Of our forces, to service during this
crisis who refused to serve"
SitcS HOluiuS companies.
Senator Guffey said the Pitts
burgh Press, Scripps- Howard
newspaper, had denounced him as a
tax evader during his last cam
paign because he owed the Treasury
about $4,000 in taxes.
He said that Mr.. Howard and
Robert P. Scripps had formed per-
sonal holding corporations and thus
had "evaded and avoided payment
of income taxes"
In 1884, he said, "the Roy w.
Howard Co. enjoyed an income of
S50l ,904, which income represented
Howard's salary and profits from his
publishing interests. Yet on this
huge income, this super patriot, this
protector of the people from tax
evaders, paid not one cent in taxes.
Had he not used the holding COM
pany subterfuge he would have had
to pay S167,0OO. Likewise
did the Robert P. Scripps Co. provide
loophole for the gentleman bearing
that name. It's income was sl73,-
599.63, upon which it paid no tax
whatsoever"
paid Only S67.04."
Also in 1884, Senator Guffey de-
clared, the E. w Scripps Co. had a
net income of 81 ,705 ,4o5 upon which
was paid the tremendous tax of
S67O4."
Senator GufTey said that taxing
statutes now had "outlawed' the
$4,000 claim the Treasury had
against him and that he was advised
the Internal Revenue Bureau could
not accept payment of the levy
now. Nevertheless" he added, "a
way will be found by me to pay into
the Treasury of the United States
the amount of the tax.
II doubt that Roy Howard, with
his record what it is, will let his
conscience bother him to the ex-
tent OF paying the sl67 900 tax which
he, by legal subterfuge, evaded.
challenge him to pay this s167 200
noW-at a time when the country
is making such huge expenditures
for defense purposes"
Blamed for Fall of France.
The Pennsylvania Senator said
that 1.-The decadence and final de-
struction of France" was wrought
by venal, power-mad, money-mad,
traitorous newspaper publishers"
I'VE have the same brand of
journalism right here in this coun-
try" he said.
Chain newspaper publishing has
become a menace to democratic in
stitutions and, therefore, has nc
place in a democracy-at any time
least of all when this country is
facing the opposition and enmity OF
a rapidly expanding totalitariar
world.
When I talk of chain newspaper
publishers I do not mean real news
paper publishers and editors owning
and themselves publishing two OF
three daily or weekly newspa pers.
THE type of newspaper chain
publisher am opposed to is the alb.
sentee, Wall Street promoter type
who has acquired string Of pow.
erful and important newspapers
throughout the country and who
llSes those pPUSpq pere mt for the