DEMAND FOR NEWS IN AMERICA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 144486, 22 September 1914, Page 6

DEMAND FOR NEWS IN AMERICA.

THE TERRIBLE STRAIN ON DAILY NEWSPAPERS. The interest in news of the entire world has changed in one week's time from the many diversified topics to ono universal subject—war ;says the New York Fourth' Estate oi August 8). Tho nations of tho old world hare gone to war and no industry feels the cited of it more than the newspapers, it possibly will mean the passing away, or at least, the temporary suspension, of many newspapers in Europe, and it is affecting tho newspapers of North America in an unparalleled degree. To-day in tho United States and Canadian newspapers, nothing else seems to interest readers hut uar nows. Tho topic that was considered of greatest interest, it seems, only yesterday, is east into discard in some insignificant corner of a page, or not considered worthy of use at all. A few days ago it was tho Mexican situation that commanded first pages, but a matter such as the entrance to Mexico City of tho rebels is insignificant as compared with tlio ono great central object of uttemiou—the whole of Europe in war. Tho kin of Europeans on this continent must bo kept in touch of tho news of their Fatherland; tho American must know how things are going in the European countries in which ho has money invested, or relatives or trionds stranded ; in fact, every American demands that ho bo kept in touch with tlio events that aro transpiring in what is possibly tho re-making of Europe. The newspapers must bear tho brunt of tho task of obtaining and disseminating nows. No expense must bo spared in carrying out this self-imposed sacred duty of the press. Tho past week is said to have been tho hardest week on American newspapers since tho War of the Rebellion. The evening newspapers, particularly in the big centres of New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, St. Louis, etc., have been hit hardest. For them, and tho people engaged in their making, every minute of each day has been one of unparalleled strain. Extra edition has followed extra edition, at, in some cases, only few minute intervals. Even Sunday allowed no rest, for one or more editions were issued at Now York by the Evening Journal, tho Worlfl, tlio Evening Sun, tho Evening Post, tho Telegram, the Staats-Zoitung, German Herald, Jewish Daily Forward, and other foreign language newspapers. Every rainuto finds vast crowds gathered around tho newspaper bulletin boards, on .which the bulletins are being constantly changed. The task of keeping readers con; stantly in touch with the situation is costing the publishers au inconceivable amount of money. Tho demand tor extra print paper is enormous, but no paper famine is anticipated in America. The print paper mills have not in the past been taxed to their full capacity for news paper, and consequently have been used for other kinds of paper. Whenever additional stocks are demanded these machines can bo put back on news paper work again. The appearances of most daily newspapers of the country have been materially changed. Type measures have been widened to present the news facts at a glance, in some oases, as for instance, the New York Evening Telegram, to -full seven-column width on tiro front page for twenty-two point typo. Nothing remains to identify some papers except their title type.