Show I I 1 int Prices Reach Highest st Level Since 21 NEW V YORK Dec 4 UP UP- UP Newsprint prices price advanced this month to the highest level since 1921 to a ton and publishers fear another increase is in the offing The price more than double the 50 at which newsprint sold as recently as 1942 added to the difficulties of newspaper publishers publish publIsh- ers who are arc also worried about steadily d dwindling w WIn i n d l 1 i n g g- newsprint stocks Supplies on hand and in transit at the end of last month were the lowest for or this time tunc of the year since 1946 Publishers at the end of October latest reporting date I had 33 days supply on hand which I was 10 days supply under the average average average aver aver- age for the end of October in the thelast thelast thelast last 15 years I Will Roost t Cost Cot I At the current rate of oC consumption tion approximately tons tonsa a a. year the price rise which was 6 56 or 60 6 of the level which had prevailed pre since September 19 1918 will cost United States publishers publishers publishers pub pub- lishers a year The increase originally sought ht by a majority of the companies was 10 a ton Should producers in 1951 ask an additional increase ase of 4 to recover the difference between the amount they had first sought and the amount for which they settled the bill will go up another Cranston Williams general manager manager manager man man- ager of the American Newspaper Publishers' Publishers called the proposed proposed proposed pro pro- posed 10 rise sive unwarranted and ill timed He said there is a limit to the amount a newspaper can pay out and stay in business Must t Hike Ad 1 Rates Kales William illiam G G. Chandler chairman of the A N P A special newsprint committee said the move can have only one result result result-an an increase in advertising advertising advertising ad ad- rates Not only have advertising advertising ad ad- rates lagged b behind hind commodity commodity commodity com com- prices in the postwar rise he commented but increases in circulations since the end of the war var have more than offset what advertising ad rate boosts have been made The average daily circulation of newspapers morning and evening evening evening eve eve- ning has climbed from about 40 40 O OOOO in 1939 to about now no In Washington Rep Emanuel Celler D. D N. N Y found the unanimity unanimity unanimity una una- of Canadian manufacturers in n the price change a clear violation violation viola viola- violation tion of the antitrust laws Called Parallelism I I He charged that the evidence of uniform pricing practices historic his his- I tonic in the industry shows that I competition no longer determines r newsprint prices price He called the price increase c deliberate and conscious conscious conscious con con- parallelism Robert M. M Fowler president of or orthe the Newsprint Association of Canada Canada Canada Can Can- ada however ho said aid this uniformity is a sign of how very competitive the industry is He lie said gaid it showed vigorous competition because an individual cannot sell for more I than his competitors and still keep customers' customers good will I ISo So he is forced down to the price level in this kind of market I Fowler said Highest Since 1921 At 1106 a ton ne newsprint newsprint prices are now at their highest t level since the 1921 level of In April I 1921 prices began a slow recession I Ito to a R low of oC 39 a ton torn in the second second sec sec- I ond half of 1932 An attempt was I made to Increase c prices by 6 56 a 1 aton aton I ton in the beginning of 1933 but I this new level was abandoned soon I afterward and the price held at 10 10 until a 1 Sl Increase was vas made I in 1936 It has advanced ad gradually gradually gradually ally since ince then to its current level From 1938 1933 through the beginning beginning beginning begin begin- ning of 1943 newsprint sold for 50 a n ton In 1943 it rose first to 54 54 and then to 58 58 In 1915 it reached 62 Six increases in 1946 raised it to 81 and two in m 1917 1017 to 90 It was boosted to in 1918 All these prices are on the basis of New York delivery Newsprint sold for 52 2 in 1892 but had dropped to 36 in 1899 It held in the 40 zone until World War Var I started further increases |