Show FIGHT ON POSTAL RATES MADE IDE BY BT PUBLISHERS L Own Owners rs of Newspapers Declare Declare De De- De- De clare dare Proposed System Will Wil e Discriminatory Discriminator By Associated Press Press i WASHINGTON April Apri 30 0 tives thes of ot the tho American i Newspaper Pub Pub- ushers lishers' association protested to the tho hosen senate senate sen son ate committee today to the second lass class mall mail ai po postage tase rates which under tho war tax lax act go go Into effect July 1 I arid and ad urged a n modification or Of the plan Insofar as It I affects newspaper Tho The zone zono system by which one rate rata I is to be bo charged for tor or advertising matter matterand matterand mater and a separate rate rato for tor the a rato news sections publishers contended ia is discriminatory and excessive In view of ot the war and the present print paper situa ton tion the they asked that a lower rate rato be i prescribed Those appearing today today were George McAnen of or the New York Times GeorGe and Major E. E B B. B Stahlman of oC the Nashville Tenn Banner Both were Introduced by Frank P. P Glass of ot the Birmingham Ala Ala News president of or tho the publish publish- ers ers' association on Mr McAneny said tho the protest was as the unanimous vote of ot the daily daly newspapers newspapers news news- papers of ot the tho country countr Newspaper pub pub- ushers lishers ho he said sid do not believe the ss- ss tern tem proposed can be made to work without with with- wih- wih out additional expense and they fall fail to see seo how It will benefit the fal I wi govern govern- men ment ment t. t If I there are arc abuses to be corrected let lel them proceed and the government will wi have the support of oC tho the newspaper publishers said Mr Ir McAneny In tho the case of oC newspapers I maintain that need has not been shown I MAY RAISE PRICES Tho The transportation of newspapers last year ear gave a profit to the tho government he as said Id Tho The newspapers will wi meet the Increase ho he said sald by readjusting their ther tion ton rates rales No attempt would be made to make It up UI In Increased cd advertising ad ra rates rales I es Advertising cannot be forced to do more moro than it I is doing toda today ho he said Asking Asking that the Iho rates bo be modified Mr lIr McAneny said Id the newspapers are not making a protest from a financial standpoint stand stand- point but bui of oC the effect It will wi have havo on their circulation He lie told of ot a newspaper per publisher who in sending out renewal notices notified subscribers rs that after Jul July 1 the subscription rates would bo Increased because of ot the law while OO notices were sent to other othel subscribers subscribers sub sub- scribers without any reference to Increased In Increased In- In creased rates From the first act subscribers replied that thc they did not desire to renew their sub subscriptions but butof butor of or the other 00 only two ordered the paper stopped That Is the tho way this law Is going to act ho said sd An amendment providing a a flat zone zono system was proposed by the publishers It would provide a rate effective Jul July 1 next of 1 cent a pound for or the transportation transportation trans trans- of ot newspapers newspapers' for or the first three zones consisting of not more than mies miles 1 Hi cents for tor tho fourth zone of from to COO miles mies 2 3 cents forthe forthe for the fifth zono zone from to 1000 miles mies 3 cents for the tho sixth zone from 1000 to 1400 miles mies 4 4 cents for tho the seventh zone of oC from 1400 HOO to 1800 miles mies and 5 cents for the eighth zone zono extending extending beyond 1800 1300 miles mies OBJECTS TO EXPERIMENT What we plead is 1 that In times Umes like hike these there should not be this hazardous hazard hazard- ous experiment In newspaper rates Mr McAneny said In order to Increase the circulation of ot newspapers so that the various official of of- Iclal statements and notices can get set i wide wido circulation Canada ho said sid has reduced postal rates while this country countr at nt a time when tho the circulation of ot tho the press Is needed proposes to Inflict re re- re He lie declared this was done In spite of tho the fact that tho the postmaster general did not favor It It He Ho said sId tho the publishers favor a zone zones s system stem similar In operation to tho the present present present pres pres- ent parcel post system with wih the present second class cas rato rate prevailing for or tho the first miles mies and graduated increases for the theother theother te teother other zones Mr lr McAneny described the confusion the present act would oud cause causo and said that I under Its provisions the rato rate for every newspaper must bo be made separate separately If I the law goes Into effect he lie added adde the subscription lists of tho the papers of ot the country countr will wi be bo reduced by tens of ot thou thou- sands In concluding Mr r. r McAneny urged that congress suspend the operation of this section of ot the act until after tho the war ar aror or that a flat fiat zone zono system be put Into effect with wih newspapers for or the tho first two zones exempt from an Increase in rates NO ADDED EXPENSE Ho lie le said eald that investigation shows that transportation of ot newspapers for or that distance does docs dos not add any expense to the government t. t Major Stahlman also favored tho the zone system He said the publishers are ae not no asking an any favors favor but want to pa pay the government what Is due Ho also denied that any war was being waged on magazine magazine mag mag- azine publishers but declared the postoffice postoffice post- post office olce department is operating at a profit and amid ho he did not think there should be beany beany beany any discrimination Last year cn ear Major Stahlman said he paid the government for transporting transporting trans trans- rans- rans porting his newspaper which has ha a circulation circulation cir cir cir- of copl copies s. s Under the now new la law w. w he ho said thIs thin will viIi bo be Increased the first year rear tho the second year ear the third year ear and the tho fourth year ear I know that Is not fair he declared It Is not going to cost the government an any more to carry my papers than it has hns cost cost Ive I've Ive got sot some ome circulation beyond the tho mile zone but bt I want to lo pay for I it t ASK FOR SEPARATION We c want a separation from the magazines magazines mag- mag mag mag- and other publishers Ve We dont don't want to stand In the attitude altitude that the second class postal matter costs the government government gov gov- cass more moro when wo know we are arc not responsible for It It While magazines can comply with wih that law lass It ItIs Itis itis Is practically Impossible lo for tor tho the newspapers pert pers to do o It per Stephen I. I Farrel Farrell Farrelly manager manger of ot the tIme American News company told lold the com com- that the zone system Is false Calse in system and unfair Jesse Jese H. H 1 Neal leal executive secretary of ot the Associated 4 the Business Papers and representing publishers publishers' advisory advisor board of or New Ne York urged that enforcement of time the rate rato rte provided provided pro pro- July 1 bo be temporarily tem tern vided In the tho tho act effective e suspended until after the war Before Deore the committee adjourned tho the hearing for the tho day Senator Bankhead of ot Alabama chairman announced that a representative of or tho the department department depart depart- ment meat will wl be heard tomorrow |