had labor troubles, generally paying more than the scale and getting service in proportion. He said the war would not be altogether a bad thing for the newspapers, compelling them to ask and get better prices, be more businesslike, and check up more carefully. On the latter point he cited the instance of his own office where he found that of the 4,500 papers he was printing there were 200 he could not check up on. He immediately cut them off, and within a couple of weeks they were back on as new paid subscriptions, and he could account for every paper.
"My policy is to keep permanent employes and pay them the right wages," he said. "If the war lasts five years it will not hurt my organization much. I may have to pay higher wages but I am willing to pay more and ought to pay more."
Mr. Fisher in closing had his say on the paper price question. He disagreed with Mr. McWaters, and predicted that prices might easily go lower this summer before going up this fall or winter, a view which was finally adopted by the resolutions committee.
Clarke Leiter, publisher of the La Grande Observer and former city editor of the Oregonian, spoke on the subject of the help the papers could and ought to give the nation ill the present crisis.
"The campaigns for the Liberty Bonds, the Red Cross and for enlistments I consider the biggest thing the American press has ever done," he said.
"No one has suggested that the powder manufacturers ought to donate their powder, or the munitions or steel men their products, but when it was proposed that the newspapers should donate their ad vertising space, the only commodity they have to sell, they put aside all questions of unequal burden, decided to 'put over' the great national movements and they did it.
"The newspapers are absolutely part and parcel of the national government. We must do our duty if rewarded only in the appreciation of the people. We must serve the nation without hope of reward. The government and congress have looked upon the newspapers as a semi-public utility rather than a strictly private property. There may be strong arguments against this view but we are now facing facts. The decision is made and we must go through with it."
The resolutions committee later refused to agree that the decision had been fully made, and a resolution was passed to take up with the congressional delegation the unusual and troublesome burdens likely to be placed upon the press as well as the question of the donation of merchantable space.
Mr. Leiter went on to say that the papers could well undertake to serve the nation by eliminating waste and putting their internal business in good condition. They must cut off deadheads and exchanges they do not actually use, thus saving paper. "The people must be educated to thrift and economy," he said, "especially in the prevention and checking of waste. To win, America will have to give up many of her extravagant and luxurious ideas as well as something of our personal liberty.
"Our people must be made to realize the wonderful strength of the organization we are fighting if we are to win. This must not be carried so far as to frighten the people. They must be brought to a sane, optimistic realization of the serious job on our hands.
"We must perfect our own organization. We need our county councils of defense. In this labor difficulty we should round up all the vagrant trash, take the regular, legal means of having them declared vagrant, and then put them to work.
"As for food conservation, the
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