Evening star., 1942-08-28
u. S. Suit Seeks to Force A. P. to Serve All Papers

assessments and to assume all OF
the legitimate obligations of A. p
membership" 1t added that the
Sun had been seriously handi-
capped and restrained in the con-
duct of it's business" by denial of
the application.
The two other applications for
membership rejected in April were
given as those on behalf of the
morning and afternoon editions of
the Washington Times-Herald. The
vote was 514 opposed and 242 IA
vorable.
The complaint said that the part
nership, Eugene Meyer e. Co., holder
OF the morning membership for the
Washington Post, and The Evening
Star Newspaper Co., holder of the
afternoon membership for The Eve
ming Star, failed to waive their
protest rights" The subsequent
rejection by majority of voting
members, the Government asserted
restrained the Washington Times
Herald in the conduct of its busi-
ness"
In addition" the complaint con-
tinued, the effect of the defend
ants combination is that in the
Capital Of the country land the
eleventh largest city, there is only
one paper in the morning and only
one paper in the evening which can
offer its readers the news service
which the Associated Press pro-
claims, to be superior to any other
news service"
Charges Restraint In Pictures.
The A. P. acquired the capital stock
OF Wide World Photos, Inc, last
year, the complaint said, and there
after augmented its own news pic
ture service furnished only to A. P,
members, and discontinued the
service to non members except AS
required to carry out existing con-
tracts.
1t was alleged that the effect of
the acquisition of Wide World was
to substantially lessen competition,
to restrain interstate commerce in
news pictures, and to tend to Gre
ate monopoly.
Exclusion from A. p. membership
denied the Chicago Sun access to
A: P.s news picture service, the COM
pialnt said, adding that this has
proved a great competitive disad-
vantage not only because of the
merits OF this service but also be-
cause exclusive regional contracts
made with competing newspapers
by the only other two services fur
nishing newspapers with national
coverage In news pictures have pre-
vented the Chicago Sun from OBJ
tanning news pictures from these
other agencies"
The Government stated that the
Chicago Tribune had q monopoly in
the Chicago morning field, the Ma
tons second city, for two years
prior to first publication OF the
Sun. 1t continued:
There was therefore available
to newspaper readers in this i'm
portant territory only one morning
metropolitan newspaper. No al
tentative choice was offered this
vast reader audience, however de-
f1cient or biased such newspaper
might be, or might be thought to
be, in its treatment of the news
and in the viewpoint set forth in
its news and editorial columns.
defendants combination serves
to perpetuate these unwholesome
monopoly conditions to the extent
that withholding A. P.'s news service
from the Chicago Daily Tribune's
competitor prevents that competi-
tor from winning circulation among
members of the public who, justi-
fiably or not, prefer to read a news
paper which receives A. P. news"
Government Outlines Policy.
The Government set forth In. its
suit the following statement OF
policy:
THE national policy in favor Of
freedom of the press requires that
newspapers engaged in disseminat-
ing news be unhampered and un-
restrained in selecting the particu-
lar news they choose to publish, in
emphasizing it, and in expressing
any accompanying viewpoint or
opinion.
"A corollary Of such national pol