Cut-Rate Circulation Still Being Fought Hard, Says Dockery

Inspectors Busy Investigating All Complaints

"WE E are squeezing the water

out of the circulation of many periodicals." This was the statement made to the Washington correspondent of PRINTERS' INK last week by Third Assistant Postmaster General Dockery. It was in reply to an inquiry regarding the progress the Department is making in the enforcement of its ruling that periodicals to be entitled to the second-class mail rate must net at least 50 per cent of their established subscription price.

When it was explained to General Dockery that this is a subject in which the readers of PRINTERS' INK feel an especial interest, he commented: "I should think they would feel a deep interest. Naturally, no advertiser wants to buy padded circulation."

Specifically, General Dockery was unable to state just how many cases have been acted upon by his office in the four months or so since this "pure circulation" order was promulgated. "As rapidly as we hear of violations we turn over the cases to Post Office inspectors," he said, "who are instructed to push the matter. My impression is that the remedy has been applied in every case that has thus far been brought to our attention. There have been no test cases because every offending publisher has come across' when we put the matter up to him."

Intimation has come to PRINTERS' INK that little satisfaction has been gained by some publishers who have sought to obtain news of what the Government is doing or intends to do from William C. Wood, who, in his capacity of Superintendent of the Division of Classification is in direct charge of the clean-up of circulations. It is suspected, however, that Mr. Wood's seeming secretiveness is explained by a general policy of reticence rather than that his

silence is indicative of inactivity on the part of the Government.

The PRINTERS' INK man took up this subject of cut-rate circulation with Superintendent Wood, following the talk with General Dockery and asked particularly regarding the attitude of Uncle Sam with respect to a magazine agency located in the Middle West which has long made a practice of furnishing to agents, at a uniform price of 10 cents, subscriptions to a wide range of periodicals listed at $1 to $2 per annum. Mr. Wood declared that the Department has long since taken action in the case of this offender and he added that not only has action been directed against the agency, but also against every one of the publications which this firm offers at the ridiculously low rate. Another official in the Third Assistant's Division injected the comment "That concern has made us more trouble than any other in the business. It was the operations of such brokerage concerns that rendered it necessary to issue the order against the admission to the mails of periodicals that are virtually circulated free."

The official last quoted said that it was the understanding at the Department that the agency referred to had discontinued, as a result of the Government's action, such offers as that contained in a "Trade Paper Bulletin" issued under date of June 1, 1917. Save on the theory that the inspectors "haven't got around to it yet" he was unable to explain the promulgation by a Southern concern under July date lines of offers wherein trade publications, picture magazines and fiction periodicals were offered to agents at prices as low as 3 cents for an annual subscription. The Department insists that the new regulation is not a dead letter and that it is not marking time on the proposition.

does The Youth's Companion carry
such a large volume of Automo-
bile, Bicycle and Tire Advertising?
Because the Automobile and

the Bicycle are both

for the family use.

The Youth's Companion is read
by ALL the family because it
is edited for ALL the family.

The Youth's Companion

The Distinctive Element

-a characteristic of all effective advertising-is most essential in color display and kindred publicity.

Niagara Lithograph Co.

When IDE COLLARS
moved to first place

T IS a question if any article of apparel has been advertised with such ability and success as men's collars. So that the decision of Mr. Fleming, Advertising Manager for Geo. P. Ide G& Co., to launch a campaign on distinctive lines was a rather bold undertaking.

Niagara Service enlisted the efforts of an acknowledged genius in the realm of Commercial Art, wielding a brush of such striking individuality as to revise all previous standards in style illustration.

For two seasons the Ide Collar publicity has had the place of unquestioned pre-eminence in its field and is perhaps the most talked-of pictorial advertising now making its appeal to the public

A type of the constructive art supervision which the Niagara organization afford's, coupled with the incomparable Niagara process of reproduction.

Niagara Jithotone Process

Niagara Lithograph Co.

-then it's up to your booklet

The success or failure of your advertising plan finally depends upon the orders it produces. Your advertisements may be effective, but after the inquiries have been received-after the prospect's interest has been developed - what then? You stake everything on the order-producing power of your booklet.

Cloth-bound booklets make inquiries ORDERS

They get across. They make the necessary good "first impression." They demand an interview. They look too important for the waste-basket and after sending in an order they stay on the job for future interviews with the boss.

Your printer or binder will quote you on binding your booklet or catalogue in Interlaken Book Cloth. He will also show you the many attractive patterns and colors in which Interlaken is made. 'Phone him now before you forget it.

Interlaken