The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-21
MUTUAL RELATIONS and INTERESTS
or The BELL SYSTEM and THE PUBLIC

questioning the purchase of certain tele-
phone properties in the northwest, as
well as the pending Interstate Commerce
commission telephone investigation, have
caused many inquiries Without taking up
anything going to the merits of these pro-
eeedings. it has seemed to us proper to
state generally what has been our policy
and purpose in the conduct of our busi-
ness.
We have found. or thought that we
had. that our interests We're best served
when the public interests We're best
served. and We believe that such sue
cess as we have had has been because
our business has been conducted on these
lines
we believe that our company has an
interest as vital as that of the public
In the proper administration of the
problems of electrical inter-communica-
ton. The success and prosperity of our
company depend upon a solution of these
problems which shall be sound from both
the standpoint of the company and the
public which it serves.
Following our own best Judgment, sup
plemented by the best obtainable advice
we have endeavored to do what would
best serve the public interest; wherever
possible our plans have been disclosed
10 flo In ad WI, 1,oc
been done in carrying them, out has been
along ordinary business lines, with the
implied. and generally, with the ex-
pressed approval authorization or con-
sent of the municipal and state author
tiles directly interested. Our effort has
been not only to obey the law, but to
avoid everything which might even have
the appearance of an attempt at evasion
Our business methods and policy, and
practicalls all of the details as to the
transaction of our business, are matters
of common knowledge and are, and for
many years have been. well known to
the government. We will willingly fur
nish the government any additional in
formation which is in our possession or
under our control, and will cordially CO.
operate with it in obtaining such fur
ther information as it may require. Every
possible assistance will be given by us
to the courts in their effort to determine
whether our policy is or has been in
imical to the public interest. We desire
that anything wrong be corrected; we
will voluntarily rectify any wrong that
may be pointed out to us. and so far as
1t may be determined that our policy or
any act under it is against the public
interest, we will promptly conform to
such determination
We believe that If each of our ex-
changes were made an Independent unit
and if each connecting line were put
under a separate control, the effect upon
the telephone service of the country
would be a condition so intolerable that
the public would refuse to submit to it
and would Immediately require such
physical connection and common control
of these various units as would amalga-
mate them into single system. Physi-
cal connection in the case of telephone
or telegraph does not mean transfer of
messages from one line to the other 1t
means such a connection as will permit
4 ha al
of the particular line of communication
from one end of it to the other and this
can only be given efficiently by exchange
systems and connecting lines under a
common control and that is what the
Bell system is.
In this connection, and for general in
formation, we will restate the policy
which controlled the building up of the
Bell system. and our belief as to what
telephone system should be. and what
are its relations to the public.
We believe in and We're the first to
advocate state or government control
ard regulation of public utilities; that
this control or regulation should be by
permanent quasi judicial bodies acting af-
ter thorough Investigation and governed
by the equities of each case; and that this
control or regulation, beyond requiring
the greatest efficiency and economy,
should not interfere with management or
operation. We believe that these bodies,
if they are to be permanent effective and
of public benefit. should be thoroughly
character and should so conduct their in
vestigations and deliberations as to
command such respect from both the pub
lie and the corporations that both will
without question accept their conclusions.
We believe that the public would in this
way get all the advantages and avoid all
the manifest disadvantages of public
ownership.
We believe that centers of business and
population exist for the convenience of
the public as a whole, and that no such
center can prosper without sufficient and
efficient means of intercourse with other
centers and tributary territories; that such
means can only be afforded by prosper
Gus utility and service companies and that
fair rates are, essential to prosperous
J.,n,rapiac XKYa do NOT haIiava that ap,-