Warren sheaf., 1913-01-23
REGULATION O
MIR: COMPANIES I !
ALLEGED Il oNE AND 55TELE.
I GRAPH COMBINE Sc LuTlok III.
.s Y r TO q COMMISSION. 3.
PROSECUTION POSSIBLE,
likely e Follow If Verdict is Against
Companies The Bell System
Said 70 Dominate #
sa5 .5. Situation. l8 sS s, Ri
PROSECUTION &c IS x PossIBLE K.


s5... 3 Situation. 5{ X.
Washington, Jan. 21.-Regulation
by the interstate commerce commits
sion Of the telephone and telegraph
companies and not the compulsory
competitive provisions Of the Sherman
antitrust law, will be the means Of
solving in large measure the so-called
telephone trust problem, according to
Attorney General Wickersham, who
has just announced that he. had re
ferred the whole question to the com.
mission for investigation and action.
d Terminates Investigation. III
h This move terminates the invests.
cation by the department Of justice Of
the alleged $500, 900 900 telephone trust
against which Independent telephone
companies have made charges of un-
fair treatment and of the employment
OF methods destructive to competition.
The commissions investigation will be
far reaching in effect and out OF it is
expected to grow the outline Of gov
ernmental policy with respect to the
telephone and telegraph. 1t must be
determined, according to officials
whether in the interest and convent
ence Of the public telephone or tele
graph monopoly under rigid regulation
shouldTbe tolerated by the federal gov
eminent; or whether the government
should take over utilities, or finally,
whether competition should be en-.
forced under the Sherman antitrust
law and monopoly prohibited. 5
@5a Plan as Announced.
Chairman Lane of the interstate com
merce commission formally announced
that Sin response to information sub
mitted to it by the attorney general
the interstate commerce commission
will make an investigation into the
operations, rates and practices Of the
various telephone companies
Pointing to the complaints which
have been lodged with the government
against the American Telephone 4 &
Telegraph company, generally known
as the Bell Telephone system, the at
torney general says. in his communi.
cation to the commission; .5 u, 4.s Il
8.' Many Of these questions, it seems
to me, cannot be appropriately dealt
with by the law department of the
government, but should be made the
subject Of regulation after a careful
investigation of the whole subject by
your honorable body. The powers
vested in you by statute appear to me
to enable you to make a comprehen-
sive and thorough investigation of the
matter.
May Suggest Legislation.
1T may be that as result Of such
investigation you will conclude that
additional legislation should be sug.
gested to congress. Quite number
OF the states have enacted laws vest.
ing in public utilities commissions or
similar bodies, jurisdiction which has
been executed in some instances, with
lrespect to the acquisition of telephone
lines OF one company by another, and
with respect to the interchange of bus.
mess and facilities between telegraph
and telephone lines. State regulation
| however, cannot be satisfactory
method of ultimate solution of the
Questions arising out of telephone op
GRAFTON. al
"The value of a telephone service de
Ipends largely upon the facility of con
Meeting every individual telephone
user with any point upon any tele
phone line in the United States; but
this should be attained under condi
tions which secure to the public the
maximum of convenience upon the
most reasonable terms consistent will
q fair return upon the investment anG
under suitable supervision and contro
by your honorable body" ata .@.
Dealing with the powers of the com
mission, Mr.. Wickersham points ou
that the interstate commerce ac
makes telephone, telegraph and cable
companies, engaged in interstate o.
foreign business, common carriers; re
quires that all their rates shall be jus
and reasonable, and prohibits tn,
granting of undue or unreasonabl,
preference to any one. Il: @
Inaugural Ball Dropped.
Washington, Jan. 21.---s'.No in
augural ball, !" was the vote Of the in
augural committee. President-elec
Wilson'S expressed desire to abandon
the society function that has been
A feature Of the induction into Office .
1 every executive since Madison, wa
4 acquiesced in BY the local committe
at an executive session. It was de
II ciaed however, to hold a reception o.
d the night Of March 4, at which the ney