The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-20
END TO 4 TRUST.

END 1OA TRUST.
tcontinued from Pssx One,
entangling telephone affairs through
out the country which threatened fed
eral action.
Not only mos the American Telephone
and Telegraph company agreed to give
up its control Of the Western Union.
but It has agreed not to extend it's
monopoly Of local companies in the tel
ephone field. But the most important
point to the American people. officials
declare. il the telephone company's
agreement to extend the use Of its ton
lines to all local companies. That con-
cession. which was admittedly more
than Attorney General McReynolds ex-
pected, to secure In a legal fight, opens
lor1 distance facilities by telephone, to
many communities which have Ions
been denied 1t.
Al the work of separating the two
big companies goes on, points on which
ted to Attorney General McReynolds
ana tho interstate commerce commits
sion for decision.
Tho reorganization plan originated
with the company. although it fol-
lowed many reports that suit against
II. H
department of Justice officials as the
most striking indication offered in q
decade that big business has come to
the conclusion that 1t II better to fol-
low the Sherman law than fight The
plan met not only the approval Of the
buster" g. c. Todd, and officials of the
subsidiaries Of the combine. but was
heartily approved by President Will
son.
A.
president expressed his admiration for
the attitude Of the telephone company
and his conviction that such conduct
on the part Of business men meant q
building up OF business on sound and
permanent lines.
Coming on the heels Of the announce
ment that Postmaster General Burle-
son is seriously interested In govern
ment ownership OF telephone lines, the
action Of the department Of Justice
took an added significance and soma
officials went SO far az to express the
acquire the country's telephone bust
ness. would not be pressed by the adj
ministratfon at the present session.
The Agreement.
In brief. the agreement provides that:
'The American Telephone d Tele-
graph company will dispose promptly
of its holdings in the Western Union
Germ shall be under distinct manage
ment and 30 that all shall be entirely
independent.
1.-The company will not hereafter ac-
Quire control Of other telephone com.
panies and where control Of telephone
companies has been acquired. but no
actual physical union has been ef-
fected the American Telephone & Tele-
graph viii submit the course It Is to
pursue to the interstate commerce.
commission and to the department Of
justice.
The company win promptly make
arrangements by which all other tele-
phone companies In the United States
shall have access to its toll lines" g.
Department officials declared the
plan gave the government everything
and more than it could have hoped to
obtain in court. Officials were more
than pleased with the last part Of tho
agreement, by which the Bell conn
pany gives long distance service to
subscribers of other companies and
did not deny that they never had
hoped to gain such q point by suit
under the antitrust act.
From the point Of view Of q SUBJ
scriber to an independent telephone
system, one Of the most interesting
parts Of the agreement is that prom
by supplying standard trunk lines to
the Bell company. Under the agree
mont, an Independent company may
secure connection with Bell toll lines
by supplying standard trunk ines to
connect with the Bell toll boards, the
Bell company operating the entire toll
circuit when connections are made.
Connections will be given with Bell
subscribers or subscribers Of other
Independent companies served by ex-
changes more than fifty miles distant
from the place where the call origi-
mates, Independent subscribers paying
in addition to the regular Bell toll
charges an additional charge Of 10
cents for each message. This charge
will not be made on business known as
long line" business and long lines
business will be accepted for less than
fifty as well as for a greater distance.