Evening star., 1943-04-11

cut paper waste in Government.
Page AS
BY the Associated Press.
A sweeping inquiry into Gov
ernment curtailment of news
print was ordered by the House
yesterday as part of an even
broader investigation to deter
mine whether there is an at
tempt underway ito change our
domestic economy along lines
not authorized by Congress-"
The assignment for the investiga-
ton was given to the House Inter-
state Commerce Committee. The
measure swept through without a
record vote after an hours discus
sion. during which:
Representative Halleck, Republic
an. of Indiana asserted, IF any one
is trying to slip something over, the
curtain will be pulled back"
Fears Plot Against Press.
Representative Shafer, Republic
an, OF Michigan, in speech inserted
in the record, declared, TT will en-
able the Congress to determine the
extent to which conspiracy exists
to destroy the freedom of the press
in America" and
Representative Bulwinkle, Demo-
crat, North Carolina, said, This is
not going to be political investiga-
ton. There is not going to be any
sniping."
The committee specifically was d.
rected to investigate whether the
War Production Board, the Office of
Price Administration "or any. other
agency or officer in the executive
branch of the Government, has
formulated or is formulating plans
with view to putting into effect:
Il. Requirements with respect to
Federal grade labelling of articles
or commodities, and the discardine
OF private names of articles or COM
modities.
2. Requirements which would
nave the effect of curtailing the
production or consumption of news
print or book papers used in the
printing of newspapers, magazines
or such other publications as are
admitted to second-class mailing
privileges.
3. Any other requirements in
tended to bring about simplifica ton
and Standardization of production
marketing, and distribution of arti-
cles or commodities, as well as con-
centration of industry or produc-
ton.
To Study Tie-up to War.
In addition, the committee was
ordered to determine whether "such
plans" were necessary in connec-
tlon with the war effort, and the
extent to which they may repre-
sent an attempt to change our do
mestic economy along lines not
authorized by Congress-"
Mr.. Shafer told the House that
FOR a considerable length of time
many of us have been disturbed at
what we believe to be a persistent.
determined and concerted effort by
Government agencies and officials
to interfere with and curtail the
1ull freedom Of the press as guar
anteed to the people of America un-
der the Constitution" He added:
Climax in A. p. Suit.
These efforts seemed to have
reached their climax in the filing of
what I term the spite suit against
the Associated Press last August,
suit which alleges that the As
sociated Press is a monopoly and
that 1t has operated in violation
OF the antitrust laws.
1T was my thought at the time
that this suit, which clearly re-
vealed the spleen and animus of the
enemies of free press, was to be
the final, as it was in fact the most
dangerous, move in the game that
was being played and the objective
OF which was to deprive the Ameri-
can people. of their constitutional
right to be told what was going on
by an untrammeled press"
He said that he and others had
believed that the enemies" of free
dom Of the press would "rest in de-
pendence upon the prosecution of
the suit against the Associated Press
to accomplish their purpose.
I'VE were in error" he said. en-
stead Of placing their dependence
on the suit, those striking at the
(See NEWsPRINT, Page A-5.)
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