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Show PUBLISHERS TO FINANCE ILLS TD GET PAPER Contend No Actual Shortage Short-age of News Print Exists and Blame Manufacturers Manufactur-ers for Trouble. WASHrVOTON, IVc. 18 Th fVWal trade commit Ion, in cmif'-rencft today wlrh rommlns of nrspapT publishers, paper manufacturers and jobbers in an effort to work out a plan for relieving the news print paper situation, addressed Inquiries In-quiries to all the Interests ronrerned throughout the country to ascertain if an actual newu print shortage exists. Publishers of the larger papers were asked If they will rfliii'iulnh some of the. papr they have contracts for during 1017; small publishers were asked the extent of their 1017 needs; manufacturers were directed di-rected to Inform the commisrdon concerning concern-ing 1917 contracts aid tholr next year's production, and jobbers were reo, nested to furnish general Information regarding the n mount of news paper they will handle. Growing Objection. The cunli't-iuii duciied a plan proposed pro-posed by tnaiiularliiiiii'd under wnich liiiK publiHheis would give up per emit of llitur 117 contract .supplies to Till the needa of small publihrti. There was a growing objtrclion on tile pan of the large publiyliei'3 lo this proposal. The contention conten-tion was advanced that no actual shortage short-age exists and that maiiulacturis are to hluine it there is a shortage next year. 1'luns of 1 1 lo publishers for financing paper nulls tu help take care of newspaper news-paper needs. It was said today, are- taking rapid shape. Some publishers are of the opinion that this is the only way to help the situation. They say manufacturers cannot he forced to increase their news print production and that the publishers of the country must arrango to care for their own needs or go out of business. Will Meet Again. The committee of publishers, manufacturers manufac-turers and jobbers will be called into conference con-ference again, probably next week, to discuss dis-cuss the sit ua Lion. It is expected the replies to I he Inquiries vl!i have been received then and details of the plan of 1 distribution proposed will have been worked out to some extent. A gtatemont issued by the commission today at the conclusion of the conferences, after referring to telegrams sent by associations asso-ciations of publishers, manufacturers and jobbers, said: "The commission finds, however, that many publishers, and particularly the smaller publishers of the country, are not affiliated with associations and therefore there-fore will not be directly reached through the telegrams sent out by the publishers' committees. Such publishers are requested re-quested hy the commission to send full Information concerning their present situation situ-ation as to supply and their minimum requirements re-quirements for next year direct to the office of the commission in Washington." The questions were sent out to pub-Ushers pub-Ushers In a telegram by L-. B. Palmer, manager of th Amerlmn Newspaper Publishers" a. fo'iation. U follows: "Anwern to llie following questions are earnesrly desired by the federal trade .-ornmlion. The executive committee of the committee on papor urges yon to re-plv re-plv fully and correctly by wire, and believes be-lieves that vo-ir compliance with this request re-quest will be in your own interest, as well as that of the public: "First Tonnage of papr used, hy six months' periods, January 1, 1915, to December De-cember .11, "Second Tonnage you want to contract for in 1317. "Third Tonnage you can get along on for 1017. "Fourt h Tonnage contracted for 191 1 or anv part thereof, with date of expiration expira-tion of contract. "Fifth Tonnage assured or promised, but not under contract, for 101-7 or any part thereof, with date of expiration of said assurance." |