Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-12-20
Agreement to Dissolve
Biggest Victory of Will
son Administration.
BENDS TO FEDERAL LAW
Government Officials Call Move
Most Significant by Big
Business.

Washington. Dec -9.-Tl. greatest
a-...--sr victory af Wilson's admin
l-rra-au thus ial. is The voluntary
dissolution q the -o-caII.d telephone
'r--r -'l-g commanded the attention
e.. ar administration officials. one OF
r.a r-i4.ir4. topics Of discussion was
what effect the dissolution would have
,u ras movement for government
'=uer-A.1- It is generally expected
!1 cau--a-- that sIcn d plan will soon
.- urged as an administration meas
TIE
With the voluntary dissolution OF
'ae su-.4Il-d trust actually under way.
however. Attorney General MoRey-
mold and Tile Interstate commerce
ouuml- -lou have pre- pared 20 scan the
detail. ot -la separation Of the Amer
.sau Ia elagna and Telegraph com
paUg from tle Western Union and the
work. al dizeuraugItug telephone az
fairs throughout the country. which
threatened federal action The teIe-
phone company has a~-.ad 20 give uD
control Of the Western Union and also
las agreed not % extend it's monopoly
or local cpMpalias in the telephone
.sl1
Mere Than Expected.
The most important point 10 the
people officials declare. Is the tele-
phone coIpauy's agreement 10 extend
.-a of its toll tines 70 all locaI-com-|
T4Iies. That connection is admitted
Iv more than the attorney general eX-
peeted To secure In the legal fight TO
open long distance facilities by teIe-
phone 70 many communities which
have long been denied it. As the
work of separation Of the two big
companies goes ON points on which
they may be in doubt viii be submit
ted gD the attorney general and the
interstate commerce commission
Terms Of Agreement.
Iu brief the agreement provides
that
The American Telephone and Tele-
graph company VIII dispose promptly
.. It's holdings .u the Western Union
Telegraph company so that each con
,e-u shall be- under distiuC, manage
Iaeur and entirely independent.
The company viii not hereafter &C
r4u.r- and where control of telephone .
companies has been acquired but no
actual physical union has been e.
.scted the American Telephone and '
Telegraph will submit the course u f.
is 90 pursue 20 the interstate com
u.rcs commission and the depart
mert az justice.
The company viii promptly make
arrangements ly which all other tele-
rhone companies iu the United states .
shall have access tu i.a toll lines.
Administration supporters. after IN
formal conference ou tle telephone .
dissolution and COINS over -o Uuch .
OF tle plan as published were OF the
opinion that tLe latest Developments .
would 81 least rUrard the movement F.
t1 present the government ownership F..
question 90 congress and some thought
the company voluntary readIu~'ment
20 meet the views OF tlc department
Of justice had created an entirely ne"
situation which government owner
ship supporters would have 10 con-
slider before going further.
Representative Lewis Mary land IN
rroduced a resolution. however. 10
direct the house p1~t0fice committee /
20 report a bin sor government own
ership. The action ot the Bel com
rany." Lewis said. will not reduce a
single telephone or telegraph rate IN I
the United States.
Action Se-ds Stock Up. f.
New York. Dee. -H.-There vas an \,
excited advance I'D the stock OF the +,
American Telephone and Telegraph ,
company a. the opening Of the stock F,
market. The FIRST transaction vas
block OF 20gt shares. one % the larE- /
est blocks ot that stock handled on q,
the exchange for years Prices rang ]
ed from I2Oi= - 10. a maximum gain