Evening journal., 1913-12-23
WANTS WIRE
LINES OWNED
BY UNCLE SAM
Congressman Lewis Says Cit
izenS Pay More Than in
Any Other Country
WOULD COST NINE HUNDRED
MILLIONS TO PURCHASE
By the United press.

BY the United Press.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.--His cam
paign for government ownership OF
.elephone and telegraph lines-a pro
iect already sanctioned by approval
u the postmaster general-was for
mally launched in the House late yes
lcrday by Representative David J.
Lewis. of Maryland. He made an ex-
hausetive summary OF an investiga-
ton OF the sort OF service which the
average American now obtains from
private companies. showing:
That governmental ownership is
necessary to extend the telephone to
the masses.
That the government should only
purchase telephone lines, utilizing
new patents to extend the same lines
into the telegraphic field.
That It will cost S900,000,000 to
purchase telephone lines. which Lewis
proposes be raised by three per cent.
bonds.
Investigation discloses that our
telegraph rates are the highest among
twenty countries" said Lewis. "They
ru1 from 25c to $1.00, while in other
countries they average a5eut twelve
rents. or a cent word. The result Of
hese abnormal rates is that we rank
hut ninth as telegraph users, with one
md one-tenth kilograms per person
Der annum.
Against these conditions, It appears
nat our postal rates average lower
han other countries and that the
humber of letters-101 per nerson-is
he highest in the world.
sZhe telegraph companies seem to
be lacking in institutional economy
Or eniciency. The operation Of send
lng a telegram is loaded down with
,eventy-forr incidental services and
processes. not less than fifty of which
would be replaced by attixing the
postage stamp. The ineficiency Is
urther exaggerated by the duplica-
ion of telegraph offices In all-the inn
ourtant cities and the denial Of the
lervices at many thousand necessary
,oints.
"A striking feature is the discovery
hat the telegraph service Is a rela-
lively declining institution, and that
Il would be unwise now to postalize
Il as a single service. To take over
he telegraph lines alone and operate
hem merely as telegraph lines,
NIGHT result in postal bankruptcy
Lewis cited the increasing use of
he long distance telephone over the
telegraph. but asserted its develop
nent in this country had been curbed
~ high rates. The average interur
oan rate In Germany. he said, wal
lour cents; in the United States 1
was twenty cents. In many cases, h.
csaid the American rate was six time
greater than those abroad
1T is not unfair or Inaccurate h
declared, ito say that the American
interurban telephone rates are the
scandal of public service rates the
world over. The American Tele-
phone monopoly takes thirteenth
place among seventeen countries
with regard to lowness OF rates:
In cities. Lewis said, the Amer
lean telephone subscribers rates
we're about three times as high as
showed, cost more than the total OF
rates In London, Paris, Berlin and
Stockholm.
III HQoldA AIACHnOAC OOuAAAAonf AZ
explained, "the local toll tariffs tend
TO run about one-half the charge oi
letter, while here 1t runs with the
street car fare and sometimes ex-
ceeds It.
While competition does not sup
ply a remedy because It divides the
service and necessitates the paymen
Tor two phones. yet It throws an in
leresting sidelight on the tendency o
= private monopoly TO jack up tn
rates Sixty American cities. OF NOR
han 800, 900 population. pay $53 un
der competition: thirty-six others
averaging 18S,000 population, withou
competition, pay SS1. Since competi
don can only augment the total cos
Df operation, Il is apparent how pr
vate monopoly and high rates go han
IN hand.