p. 2 | Special Mention by E. R. PALMER

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 15, 1916

Special Mention

By E. R. PALMER

Publishers Facing a Crisis

READERS of the REVIEW are doubtless more or less acquainted with market conditions at the present time. Even in the purchase of food and clothing, all are being made acquainted to some extent with war prices. A most unexpected crisis has been precipitated upon publishers, for which they were not at all prepared.

During the first year after the outbreak of the European war, prices on most materials, and especially on paper, had a tendency downward. During the year 1915, paper, which is our heaviest expense item, was purchased at prices more favorable than we had been able to secure for several years; therefore there was little if any apprehension over prices on printers’ supplies during the war period.

But early in the present year conditions were precipitated which have thrown publishers into great perplexity, and which have made it necessary for nearly all publishers either to cut down the size of their papers or to increase the prices. The following increases in prices, quoted from a reliable authority, speak for themselves on this point:— Print paper has advanced &emsp;&emsp;from .................. 30 to 100 % Cover papers .................. 33½% Book paper, from ....... 50 to 100 % Envelopes ...................... 30 % Cardboards ..................... 50 % Binders’ material, from.... 50 to 100 % Printing inks .................. 50 % Press rollers .................. 50 % Type ........................... 25 % Colorings for inks, in some instances .................. 1,000 %

Colored inks and colored papers have doubled in price, and are hard to get at any price.

All materials in the manufacture of which dyes, glycerin, oils, copper, lead, steel, sulphate, and rags are used, have soared in price to an extent never dreamed of two years ago; and everything the printer uses contains one or more of these ingredients.

Not only have prices advanced, as shown above, but there is great difficulty in getting the articles at all.

On some of these points the Review and Herald has been favored. We have seen the hand of the Lord working for us in many ways, and yet we can by no means see our way clearly out of this great difficulty. If at the present time we were paying market prices for our supplies, they would cost us fully $50,000 a year more than during the year 1915. This would place us where it would be necessary to cut down the size of periodicals and increase the prices on books, or borrow large sums of money with which to meet the loss. Merchants with whom we have been dealing for years have, to some extent, protected us. Our contract for the cheaper qualities of paper used in certain periodicals holds good until September 1. We have been able to secure considerable quantities of leather and bookbinder’s cloth at former prices. Every reasonable means is being employed to keep down the cost of publications during this crisis, in the hope that it may not be necessary either to reduce the pages of periodicals or to increase the prices of books.

Our greatest difficulty is in securing paper at a reasonable price for our subscription books. We have been fortunate in being able to purchase the necessary stock, so that our agents may feel certain that their needs will be supplied promptly. The cost of this paper is very heavy, and is causing us much anxiety. Recently we purchased paper for a large edition of “Bible Readings.” It cost us $9,800 instead of $5,200, the amount we should have paid three months ago.

We have feared difficulty also from strikes on the railways and from embargoes on freight. In order to be prepared for emergencies, we have placed a surplus stock of 50 cases of books in our New York Branch, and 100 cases in our Western Branch. If, for any reason, the freight lines should fail us, we shall see that our agents get their books promptly, even if we find it necessary to ship by express or by parcel post.

We feel certain that many prayers are being offered for us in this matter, for the Lord has helped us wonderfully. The large sale of literature in our field, which is showing a steady increase year by year, will help much in solving the problem of increases in the cost of material; for the larger the volume of business, the less the cost of production. Let us all unite earnestly in our efforts, and continually pray that God will protect and care for his own closing work in the earth.

E. R. PALMER.