The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-16
HITCHCOCK ST|RS UP
 b|G SENSATION BY l. HIS RECENT ACTION
His Proposal of Government Ownership of Telegraph
 Shakes Washington
ALL PARTY LEADERS
 ARE NONCOMMITTAL
Postmaster General Has Conference of Hour With President Taft-NO Friction Between Two-Will
 Treat Matter in Message

Treat Matter in Message
 Washington, January 15.--After Post
 master General Hitchcock had been in conference with President Taft for
 more than an hour today, an authorize tive statement was made al the White
 House that there had been no friction between the two over the latter's rec ommendation that the government ac- quire and operate all telegraph lines as an adjunct of the postoffiee system.
 Pronounoement in favor of govern ment ownership and operation of the telegraph lines as an adjunct of tho postofsice department stirred officlai Washington. as few administrative acts have in recent years
 MT. Hitehcocks statement was some thing new to the White House. It l is said to have caused great surprise
 there. When efforts were made late
 last night to recall the anponncemeht this was evident MT. Hitchcock could
 not be had He was out of the ctty
 and dd not return until late last even
 ing He then went immediately to bis
 apartments and would not be disturbed l May Smother Recommendation Senators and congressman generally
 did not learn of the proposed recon
 mendation until they read the papers
 this morning. Most generally discuss
 cd of all the reports early was one 10 the effect that pressure might be
 brought 10 bear upon Mir. Hitchcock not l to make the recommendation. So far
 the matter has not progressed beyond
 a declaration by the postmaster general l that he would make such Q recommen-
 dation to Congress with statement by | him giving reasons tor the proposed
 acquisition of tho telegraph lines.
 Mr. Hitchcock was late in reaching his office, although there were many
 urgent calls for him. There was no
 disposition at the capitol to avoid any
 serious consideration of the proposed | plsil.N.
 l In the House congressman Moon sf-
 Tennessee. chairman of the postoffico
 commlttec announced that the matter
 would be given earnest attention.
 "The question Of government owner
 ship of public utilities is q great one
 that needs long and careful consider
 ation,r said NIr. Moon "If Postmaster |
 in a bill to be introduced in Congress
 and the bill comes to this committee,
 1t certainly will be given thorough in-
 vestigation.
 Such a proposal has never been be- l fore Congress"
 Senator Bourne of Oregon, chairman of
 the Senate committee on postoffice and l pest roads, was much interested in the
 project, but reserved any expression.
 Hitchcock Sees Taft l When the postmaster general was sum
 moned to the White House there were re- l ports that the President had been an
 noyed oyer the fecommendation at this
 period It developed that Mir, Hitchcock l had called the matter to the executives attention q year ago and to make more complete investigation delay had been decided upon. one report circulated was that Mir. fiitehcocks action meant break with the President and probably realisn- ment with advocates of Theodore Roose welt for President
 This was specifically denied Friends of Mir. Hitchcock declared the latter was most loyal to the President in every way and would not continue in the cabinet if he were not. IL was also said MT. Hitch cocks recommendation would go to Con gress according to schedule to receive such consideration as the leaders of the
 House and Senate saw ft and without tuHHlent DH tnc IIeSiueilt. White House Statement Tine statement given out at the White House follows;
 "A recommendation by the Postmaster General that it would be correct for the government to buy the telegraph lines and incorporate them in the postoff1ce system appeared in an earlier annual re- port submitted by him 10 the President. After some discussion 1t was decided at the suggestion of the President to post pone reference to the matter to another year, and not to bring it forward tbss, because of the recommendation of many
 ether important changes. including the pcstonice savings bank and the parcels post
 These if adopted would take up all the energy of the postoffice department in making the necessary changes. The Postmaster General intended to bring this matter 10 the attention of the President before the publication of this part of his report. After havign made preparations lfor publication he was suddenly called out of the city without having done
 so. His conclusion as to the wisdom as 10 taking over of the telegraph lines had been reached only after full deliberation. As the report containing the recornmen- dation has not yet been submitted to the President. it has not yet been considered By him. or by the cabinet with view ! qr presenting it to Congress as an admin istration measure
 Democratic Leaders | Speaker Champ Clark declared that government telegraphs was too big a suo- ject to discuss until all the details of the postmaster generals plan became known.
 Democratic Leader Underwood was re- ticent and Republican Leader Mann of tfe House treated the project gngerly. tAs..The relation of the postoffice depart
 ment to the express company's must be | disposed of before its relation to the tele- grsph can be passed upon said Mr. Mann. "Both subjects cannot be hanules at. once" rF l3tT am in entire sympathy with the plan" said Representative Bureson of Texas, ranking democrat member of tbe House appropriation committee but the laeuuistion must not be at a fictitious lyalue. would favor giving the benefit ] of the doubt to the telegraph companies ] in fixing a reasonable price, but the goy- ] errsnent would in no case be mulcted to itt A,xtent of paying for water saetator Williams of Mississippi said he ,J,- been in favor of the general proposi- iiss'n for 20 years. 'isbI think all kinds of intelligence" hs