Strangle Hold

Wherever Saturday Review of Literature Editor Norman Cousins went on a recent round-the-world trip, foreign editors confronted him with the same angry charge: the U.S. press is stifling world press freedom by its strangle hold on newsprint. In India, Greece, France, Italy, Egypt and Pakistan, says Editor Cousins in the current S.R.L., "invariably I would be asked . . . how did we square [our view of press freedom] with the incredible difficulties facing the world free press largely as a result of American manipulation of sources of paper supply."

At a meeting in Madras, editors and newsmen of Indian papers laid it on the line. Said one bitter Indian editor: "America, which utters such eloquent words about free enterprise and competition, is convincing newspaper publishers in India and throughout the world that there is little sincerity behind these words.

"Paper mills abroad that used to supply us now tell us they're sorry they cannot continue; American newspapers have moved in and taken over their entire output. [They] have bought ... many of the Canadian paper mills or have made special long-term contracts. We have become desperate. We have been forced to pay up to $300 a ton for paper that costs the American newspaper publisher from $100 to $125 per ton." He noted plaintively that the paper used for one big Sunday edition of a single U.S. newspaper would fill his newsprint needs for nine years.

Cousins figured that the U.S.--with one-seventeenth of the world's population --uses up 65% of the 9.7 million ton world newsprint supply. He thinks U.S. publishers can all shave their supply slightly, contribute the paper to a pool for foreign publishers. Said Cousins: "At a rough estimate, 250,000 tons made available to the press of the world would meet the present total emergency outside America. This would be 4% of American consumption [and for each U.S. newspaper] might average out to less than a page a day."

Twelve major Ontario (Canada) paper manufacturers last week worked out a tentative agreement with union leaders on another way to tackle the world newsprint problem. Key provision: skilled paper makers will give up twelve of their Sunday holidays each year (at time-and-a-half pay) to produce extra newsprint exclusively for democratic users in Europe and Asia. Estimated 1951 increase, if all Ontario mills sign up: 42,000 tons.

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