The Lie Direct

Mr. Conde Nast, publisher of Vogue, Vanity Fair, House and Garden, Le Costume Royal, is not a publisher of newspapers. In that respect William Randolph Hearst has the better of him. Mr. Hearst, ever watchful for financial gain, makes use of his newspapers to boost his magazines. To this Mr. Nast expresses no objection. But when Mr. Hearst's press undertook to puff Hearst magazines at Mr. Nast's expense, Mr. Nast rose in dignified wrath.

In an advertisement (paid for by Mr. Nast) in Printers' Ink, trade paper of the magazine world, appeared a reprint from the Hearst papers:

" Conde Nast, editor and owner of Vogue, has abandoned his attempt to establish Vogue in London and has sold the English edition of Vogue to the publishing house of Hutchinson and Company. ... In this connection it is interesting to note that all attempts to establish English editions of American magazines have not failed. The English edition of Good Housekeeping, owned and published by William Randolph Hearst, has become in two short years the leading woman's magazine in England, excepting only Nash's Magazine, which also belongs to Mr. Hearst."

Next to the reprint of this puff patent, appeared the lie direct, subscribed by Conde Nast:

" This story, which appeared ONLY in the Hearst newspapers throughout the country, is absolutely false. I have not sold and am not contemplating the sale of British Vogue to anyone."