In Philadelphia

Newspaper magnates have found it profitable, of late years, to buy rival sheets, not to add to their collections, but to amalgamate them with their own, making one of two (or three or four) -reducing competition. But to buy a rival paper, amalgamate it out of existence, and promptly set up another-that is not so usual a procedure. Yet it was done last week, apparently with cogent reasons, depending on a given set of circumstances.

The Situation. When Cyrus Hermann Kotzschmar Curtis strode into journalism, in 1913, bought the staid, sanctimonious Philadelphia Public Ledger, the eyes that swiveled in his direction widened and awaited a new stroke of genius from the employer of Editors Bok* (Ladies' Home Journal) and Lorimer (Saturday Evening Post).

For Publisher Curtis announced loudly, and at great expense, that the Ledger would become "The Manchester Guardian of the U.S.," in morning and evening editions, which should have meant that it would be a liberal news paper of lofty tone, sound information, independent politics, fearless action and international distinction.

Lofty tone the Ledger already had, but did not cling to. Sound information the Curtis coffers tried to purchase by establishing a wide foreign service and high-priced U.S. correspondents. Independent politics were a little difficult to maintain, because Cyrus Hermann Kotzschmar Curtis lunched at the Union League Club and had a reputation for highly respectable conservatism.

Fearless action, too, was difficult ; for instance, the large-advertising Philadelaphia department stores might be offended. As for distinction, typical at tempts at it were some editorials by William Howard Taft, some political correspondence by Col. Edward M. House and the installation of an admirable business section.

The Ledger, fattening upon Curtis plenty, prospered notably, but locally, It did not become known as "The Manchester Guardian of the U. S." In addition to his large ambitions, Publisher Curtis was trying to make his paper straddle two divisions of the Philadelphia public-people who avidly pored over the illustrated society section of the Ledger and more people who wanted sensations on the first page, slang in the headlines and, if denied, would read the Ledger's morning rival, the North American.

The Action. Last week, Publisher Curtis resolved the Ledger's domestic difficulty in the morning field by purchasing The North American* for amalgamation, thus reducing competition. Then he commenced to publish The Sun, a new capsule sheetlet of "broad popular appeal for all classes of readers."

*"The oldest daily newspaper in America," descendant of the American Daily Advertiser (1784) and Benjamin Franklin's Weekly Pennsylvania Gazette (1728).