The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1913-10-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Applications for patents during the year
to aied 67,9S6, the largest on record ex.
cept for 1912, when there were 6o,236.
During the year 38.754 patents were
granted and S, I66 trademarks, 664 labels
and 254 prints were registered.
The receipts from all sources aggregat-
ed $2.oS2,49o; expenditures, $r,ea4.4so,
the net revenue being $I58. o3o
The Patent Office has the distinction of
being one Of the few bureaus OF the Gov.
ernment that is operated at profit, the
net surplus of the Office since its estab-
'ishment being $7.aeo.Io3.
~
Whether or not the Wilson Admins
tration. will get behind movement for
the Government purchase and operation
of the telegraph and telephone as part
of the postal system will be more or less
determined by the Investigation now be-
ing made into the subject BY Represen-
tative David J. Lewis. OF Maryland, the
father of the parcel post"
The Maryland Congressman started
his probe into American wire. communi.
cation conditions. including comparisons
with the European Cove nmeut-controll-
ed systems, las March npon his own iu-
itatiVe. He is continuing this investiga-
rion and it will be up to him to convince
the leaders of the present Administration
that the time is ripe for this far reaching
step.
Mr.. Lewis has discussed the plans of
Government ownership with the President
and Postmaster General Burleson. The
President, it is known. has not committed
himself on the proposition and Mr.. Bur.
Lesson is still pursuing his own study of
the problem.
It will be six weeks before Mr.. Lewis
concludes his inquiry. He has before
him mass Of matter bearing upon meth
DDS, rates and practices of the American
telephone. and telegraph; upon the opera
lions Of the telephone and telegraph sys
TENS in Norway. Sweden. Germany,
Austria. Switzerland and New Zealand,
in fact, every nation of the world. The
information obtained be is arranging for
purposes Of comparison.
~
Interest in Mr.. Lewis investigation Uas
intensified today by the publication of a
report that the Democratic administra.
ton has under consideration legislative
plans for taking over the telephone and
telegraph system and operation them as
part of the postal system. II 10 known
that Judge Moon. chairman Of the House
Committee on Postofices and Post Roads,
is now considering the question whether
or not he will offer such a bill in the
next Congress.
The investigation shows that the cost
Of 700. mile message over a Government.
owned telephone line in Europe Is 4s
cents, as against A.as In America over a
corporation owned system. Inquiry also
shows that European AFOREMENTIONED
systems maintain better aud faster ser.
vice, give the small towns more efficient
service and maintain charges that enables
the small farmer to keep telephone ID
bis home.
1t is futher disclosed that the American
telephone companies are charging fol
long distance messages an average Of S, 1e
of a ceut.a mile. Just how this rate wa:
reached or upon what it is based has mol
been brought out by the Investigate 3n
The European rates. especially on the
government controlled lines, are from
one-half to seven-eighths lower than the
American rates; in fact. that difference i.
so great that the Investigators cannot nm
derstand why the American people have
submitted to the high charges exacted BY
the telephone monopoly in this country
Mr.. Lewis is investig .tiug government
ownership of the telephope as SEQUEL te
his successful fight for the parcel post a.
a cheap retail transportation system
Now that the parcel post is being develop
| - 800 = 49, po~A aSS NaAAlCA oCIVICC
he holds that the next thing to be giver
the American people should be low-rats
telephone service. The two, he con
tends, go hand in hand, especially in ths
development of the plans to utiliz. tn.
parcel post as vehicle to bring farm pro
duce from the country into the city
kitchen.
| It sestimated that the cost to the Gov
eminent OF taking over he telephone
lines would be $1,000. 600, 600. Accord
ling 10 the plans now being worked out
Il is not proposed to condemn the tele
Igraph lines also. The scheme is to pur
cheese the telephone lines and use then
both for telephone aid telegraph mess
ages. BY this method the Governrlenl
will absorb all the wire4commnnicatior
business. just as il expects to absorb the
express busiuess by maintaining "a