Automatic Age

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IN V E S T IG A T E
A D V E R T IS IN G
A S
D IS G U IS E D
N E W S
The Post Office Department is deter- word “ advertisement.” Failure of a pub­
ni’ned to put an end to the practice of lisher so to marke matter coming within
certain advertisers and advertising con­ the provisions of the law mentioned is
cerns in forcing many newspaper publishers made punishable by a fine of not less than
to print as straight reading matter or for
$50 nor more than $500.
editorial use publicity which comes within
In discussing the subject August 4,
the category of advertisements, it was an­ Frederic A. Tilton, Third Assistant Post­
nounced by the Department August 4.
master General, said:
Postal laws provide specifically, it was
“ It has come to the attention of the De­
stated, that ’’publicity matter inserted in partment that publicity articles are being
a publication as straight editorial or read­
offered by some advertising concerns to
ing matter must be plainly marked with
publishers for insertion as reading matter
the word ‘advertisment,’ ” and publishers
in copies of their publications mailed at
are made liable for a failure to mark such the second-class pound rates o f postage.
material.
The requests accompanying such publicity
Both the advertiser and the publisher articles give the publisher to understand
may be proceeded against on the ground
that if he does not comply with the re­
° f a conspiracy to deprive the Govern­ quest to insert the publicity matter in his
ment of its just revenue, and for this
publication he may not expect display ad­
offense the penalty may be a fine of $10,000 vertising. On the other hand, if he pub­
or imprisonment, the Department said.
lishes the publicity matter as reading
Publicity material is chargeable with the
matter he may expect to be favored with
zone rates of postage prescribed for the
display advertising.
advertising portion of publications, the
Must Be Marked
statement pointed out.
“ Matter inserted in a publication under
The announcement follows in full text:
the conditions above mentioned clearly
Acting on the complaint of a number of
comes within the purview of the act of
newspaper publishers throughout the coun­ August 24, 1912 embodied in the Postal
try, the Post Office Department has been
Laws and Regulations and must be plain­
conducting a quiet investigation into the ly marked with the printed word ‘adver­
methods pursued by certain advertisers
tisement’ in each copy and is likewise
and advertising concerns who have at­
chargeable with the zone rates of postage
tempted to wield a “ club” over the heads
prescribed for the advertising portion o f
of these publishers by threatening them
publications. Failure of a publisher so to
with the loss of display advertisements if
mark matter coming within the provisions
they did not use the publ'city matter sent
of the act ment;oned is made punishable
them as news or for editorial purposes.
by a fine of not less than $50 nor more
Penalty Prescribed
than $500.
Attention was called by the Department
“ The requests also imply that the ad­
today to the fact that under the Postal
vertiser expects the publisher to insert the
Laws and Regulations newspaper pub­
publicity matter as straight editorial or
lishers who comply with such reouests
reading matter without marking it with
from advertisers might be guilty of con­
the printed word ‘advertisement’ as re­
tributing to an act of conspiracy against
quired by law. If the publisher should
the Government in conjunction with the
advertiser in depriving it of its just revenue
and both of whom might be subject to a
W a n t e d C o m p le te O u tp u t
Penalty of not more than $10,000 or im­
of lc vending machine manufacturer
prisonment of not more than two years
by active national sales and distri­
°r both. The postal laws specifically pro­
vide that publicity matter inserted in a
buting organization. Address Box 80,
Automatic Age.
Publication as straight editorial or reading
matter must be plainly marked with the
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