The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-12-17
. Our Opinio n So
. Paper Washers

y fdper washers
With other newspapers Of the United
States, The Tacoma Times expects one Of
the conditions due 10 war necessity viii
be a shortage of print paper. That viii be
inconvenient. but because some of the raw
material that goes into print paper is re-
quired in the manufacture Of munitions,
The Times and other newspapers VIII CO
operate with the government hundred
per cent.
That the newspapers might be hit with
q news print ration was indicated when
Donald p. Sterling for many years editor
of the Oregon Journal. Portland, was given
a commission as adviser 10 Donald p. Nell
son, chairman of the War Production
Board. His function is TO help the chair
man correlate consideration of such mat
tiers as newsprint and the need Of news
papers generally.
Mr.. Sterling's appointment was graft
fying TO the newspaper publishers gener-
ally. They are confident that il any order
curtailing the use of news print IS
issued with the concurrence of Mr.. Ster-
ling, it will be only after he has been con-
WINGED of the necessity.
But though there is no question Of
compliance with any order the war pro-
duction board and Mr.. Sterling deem neces-
sary, many newspapers Of the country are
wondering, as The Times does, why we
do not do something about the unneces-
sary waste of white paper that goes on
year in and year out.
Beside the desk where this is written
Is good sized waste paper basket nearly
filled with matter that came in the morn
ing mail BY no stretch of the imagina-
ton could any of it have been put to use.
It became waste paper as soon as the en-
velope was opened.
With considerable pile Of other mate
rial put aside for consideration when time
permits is copy of the Congressional
Record of fifty-six pages. Twenty-eight
pages are devoted to the days proceed
ings of the Senate and House. The other
twenty-eight pages comprise the "Appen-
dix" section in which members of con-
gress put into print speeches and other
matter that couldn't get in the Record.
Sometimes matter of real value and
general public interest appears in the
appendix" more often it is only of in
dividual interest or published to serve
special purpose.
Among the latter are radio addresses
given by friends Of members of congress,
or 1t may be an editorial from the home
town paper, or letters from constituents.
BY eliminating three-fourths of the APP
pendix. and with the space that might be
saved in the record of proceedings. at
least half the paper used in the Congress
sional Record might be conserved.
In connection with the meeting of the
National Association of Manufacturers,
The Times, as did many other newspapers,
received 100 pages of bulletins, addresses
and other material with a release date of
Dec 2. Out of this The Times obtained
material for one editorial and news
story. There might have been other good
material but there was no time to go
through a hundred pages. Most of that
paper was a total loss.
Also in connection with the meeting
the association issued a very handsome
magazine of sixty-four pages and cover.
dealing with accomplishments of indus
trial America since Pearl Harbor. Very
interesting but two copies came to The
Times-one addressed to the paper and
one to the editor. Probably thousands of
other papers were treated the same way.
Another fifty per cent waste of white
paper.
Just arrived in the afternoon mail are
two envelopes from the British lnforma-