Arizona republican., 1913-12-18
Postmaster General Burle- son Makes Sweeping Dec laration in Favor of Prin-
 cipIe of Federal Control
 of Communication Means
ABLE TO CONDUCT
 PU BLIC UTILITIES
In Annual Report Makes Assertion That Postal Service Now is Sclf-Sup- porting for the First Time Since 1889
TAssoCTArFD PRESS p1sPATcH1


 ciple of government ownership of telephone and telegraph lines and an assertion that the postal service now is self-supporting for the first time since 1S83 are features of the annual report of Postmaster General Burle- son, transmitted today to congress.
 Concerning the acquisition of tele- phone and telegraph lines. Postmaster General Burleson says that the gov ernment has demonstrated it's capac- ity to conduct public utilities. and. from his present information. he is inclined clearly to the taking over by the postoffice department of the telegraph lines and, possibly. also of the telephone lines Discussing that. the postmaster general says:
 "A study of the constitutional pur- poses of the postal establishment leads to the conviction that the post office department should have control over all means of the communication of intelligence. The first telegraph line in this country was maintained and operated as a part of the postal service, and it is to be regretted that congress saw fit to relinquish this facility to private enterprise The monopoistic nature of the telegraph business makes it of vital importance to the people that it be conducted by unselfish interests. and this can be accomplished only through gov ernment ownership
 The act of July 4. 1866. providing for the government acquisition Of the telegraph lines upon payment of an appraised valuation. and the act of 1902 directing the postmaster gen eral to report to congress the prob able cost of connecting q telegraph and telephone system with the postal service by some feasible plan. are evidences of the policy of this gov ernment ultimately to acquire and operate these electrical means of as is done by all the principal ma tions. the United States alone ex- cepted
 The successful operation of the parcel post has demonstrated the capacity of the government to con duet the public utilities which fall properly within the postal provision of the constitution
 Every argument in favor of the government ownership of telegraph lines may be advanced with equal logic and force in favor of the gov ernment ownership of telephone lines. It has been competentIy decided that a telephone message and q telegram are the same within the meaning of the laws governing the telegraph service and therefore it is believed that the statute enabling the govern ment to acquire, upon the payment of an appraised valuation, the tele- graph lines of the country, will en- able the government to acquire the telephonic network of the country. While it is true that the telephone companies have not complied with the requirements of section 5267. revised statutes, this cannot be held to nullify the intent of the law. since the non-use on the part of the government of any of it's con stitutional privileges in no wise sur renders the right to exercise these privileges whenever the best inter- ests of the nation demand.
 Tn June last a committee was appointed to make an investigation of this subject, to determine the pre- liminarv steps necessary for the gov ernment to take toward the acquisi- tiOn of the telegraph lines of the country in accordance with section 5267 of the revised statutes. This committee is now engaged in prepar- ing ifs preliminary report. and if the findings justify such action proper recommendation will be made by the department at a later date" Postmaster General Burleson pre- sents an elaborate statement of the financial operations of the postoffice department, including a discussion of the methods of bookkeeping, which he has changed. Tt is gratifying to report" says he that the total expenses of main taining the postal service for the fiscal year ended June 30 1913. is ! found to be exceeded by the reve- nues for the same period; that there is an actual surplus of $3,S41,906.78: and that the postal service is now for the first time since 1883 self supporting"
 ! As to his general financial policy, l Postmaster General Burleson says: The dominant policy of the pres | ent administration will be to conduct | the postal service for the convent | ence of the public and not for profit. Continued on Page Two)