Evening star., 1942-05-31
The Rutionine Of Reading
Matter
Bu Frederic J. Hdskin.

operative for many months. 1t is the
rationing of newspapers, magazines and
books, and although 1t has not as yet
made a dent in the United States out
put, the prospect is that in time 1t Will
have far-reaching effects.
There has been no signing on the
dotted line, but nevertheless ration
ing of reading matter prevails. In most
places where few industries are engaged
in the manufacture of supplies needed
to carry on the war, weekly and daily
publications have been cut to a mini
mum in size and circulation.
In Washington, Baltimore, Norfolk,
Philadelphia Detroit and other centers,
where business has been greatly stimu-
lated by the war, newspapers are reap
ing a harvest in advertising. In these
cities where thousands OF addltlonal
workers are employed, merchants are
vying with each other for trade which
Is running to unprecedented dlmen-
sions With an extra volume OF adver-
tising as a source of revenue, newspapers
in such localities are able to supply
larger range of reading matter, but in
areas where funds of the Federal
Treasury are not pouring out In huge
amounts business is much less than
normal, purchasing is laggard and mer-
chants know that no amount of adver-
tising will induce people to buy. More
over, with rising prices everywhere, and
less employment in many places,
BUYERS strike is all but in evidence in
places not directly affected by the out
pouring of national funds.
The situation is vastly different from
what it was in the First World War.
Then money seemed to flow everywhere
and the ambition of no small number
of men was to wear a $40 shirt, and
the female members of the family en-
joyed many luXuries. With practically
no control of prices, and land and other
property values rising to unprecedented
heights, millionaires we're made almost
overnight by the simple process Of buy
ing today and selling tomorrow. Many
items were scarce, but that seemed 10
make no difference, for regardless Of
the price the average wage Garner had
the amount, passed it over the counter
without hesitation, and often with
degree of pride that he could do some
thing he had never done before. New
books and magazines came from the
presses by the millions and everywhere
the reading front was greatly enlarged.
Paper, ink other supplies, and labor
were high but it was a publishers field
day.
The scene now. however, is vastly diff
ferent, and the stringencies of war in
volve not only physical hardships but
intellectual and recreational depriva-
tions as well. Many will probably go
through the duration without having
to encounter any disadvantages and
fail to realize what others had to en-
dure. That has been the case in all
emergencies and the present will likely
be no exception.
Something to eat. of course, has always
been mans first need. But it is worthy
of note that in nearly all communities
literary demands, or needs. have taken
a secondary place when it comes to
stretching the public dollar. In the
present crisis, however, it is not so much
the using Of the public dollar for the ele-
mentary needs Of the people as it is
condition that the war has brought
about to deprive people of the normal
amount of literature. AS a glaring ex-
ample, when London experienced the
terrible blitz in December. 1910, literary
IL Do+ I,oo rf
of the London book market was burned
out and more than 5000, 900 books were
reduced to ashes Moreover, London's
great publishing houses such as Black
wood, Longmans, Collins, Nelson and
others suffered a total loss. But the
the 13O-year-old firm of Simpkin Mar
shall. This establishment was reduced
to a shambles, beyond restoration to bus
iness, and its destruction undoubtedly
had a vital effect on literature lovers
not only in England but in many other
parts of the world.
London booksellers report that the
shortage Of books comes at time when
the demand is the greatest in the history
of the trade. 1t seems to have taken
the war to make many people book con-
scious, for not only in England but in the
United States the greatest demands of all
times are being made on literary facili-
ties
Not only were millions of books and
other pieces of literature DESTROYED in
London, but throughout the British Isles
losses on the reading front, including
scores Of libraries, have been extensive.
There had already come a shortage of
paper and q scarcity of skilled help, max
ing it most difficult for publishers to
carry on to any appreciable degree Sta
tistics tell the story. London presses
turned out 1929 titles in 1898, nearly
1000 less in 1889, and in 194I only 1881
titles were published. That was 10000
less than in 1887. London's daiIies OF
normally "a pages have been reduced to
four, Sunday editions. normally of SO
pages, have been cut to six, and adver-
tising has almost disappeared. On every
hand reading material has been reduced.
In other European countries where
the war has spread, similar situation
obtains, and publishers are ready to ad-
init that their case must be viewed from
the national standpoint. They regard
books as national trust and feel that
special responsibility devolves on pub
fishers, but that the responsibility Is now
too great for them to meet.
Publishers in the United States are
faced with higher operating costs, a