Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-10
MUTUAL RELATIONS AND INTERESTS
Or THE BELL SYSTEM and THE PUBLIC

The suit brought by the United
States questioning the purchase of
certain telephone properties in the
northwest, as well as the pending
I! interstate commerce commission tele-
phone investigation. have caused
many inquiries. Without taking up
{ anything going to the merits OF
these proceedings. it has seemed to
US proper to state generally what
has been our policy and purpose in
the conduct of our business.
We have found. or thought that
{ We had. that our interests were best
served when the public interests were
best served: and We believe that
such success 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-
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 1T serves.
Following our own best judgment.
supplemented by the best obtainable
advice. We have endeavored to do
what would best serve the public
interest: wherever possible our plans
advance, and what has been done in
carrying them out has been along
ordinary business lines, with the i'm
piled, and generally, with the ex-
pressed approval, authorization or
consent of the municipal and state
authorities 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 practically 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 furnish the gov
eminent any additional information
which is in our possession or under
our control. and will cordially CO.
operate with it in obtaining such
further information as it may re-
quire. Every possible assistance will
be given by us to the courts in their
effort to determine whether our pol
icy Is or has been inimical to the
public interest. We desire that any
thing wrong be corrected; we will
voluntarily rectify any wrong that
may be pointed out to US: and, SO
far as it may be determined that
our policy or any act under it is
against the public interest, We will
promptly conform to such determi-
nation.
We believe that IL each OF our ex-
changes were made an independent
unit and il each connecting line were
put under a separate control, the ef-
feet upon the telephone service of
the country would be a condition SO
intolerable that the public would re-
fuse TO submit to ii and would i'm
nediately require such physical con-
nection and common control Of these
various units as would amalgamate
them into single system. Physical
connection In the case OF telephone
or telegraph does not mean transfer
OF messages from one line to the
other. IL means such connection
as VIII permit one person to have
the actual possession Of the particu
lar line OF communication from one
end of 1t TO the other. and this can
only be given efficiency by exchange
systems and connecting lines under
Z common control; and that is what
the Bel System Is.
In this connection, and for general
information. We will restate the pol
icy which controlled the building up
OF the Bell System, and our belief
as to what telephone system
should be, and what are its relations
10 the public
advocate state or government con-
troll and regulation of public utilities:
that this control or regulation should
be by permanent quasi-judicial bod
les, acting after thorough inyestiga-
ton and governed By the equities Of
each case; and tina, this control or
regulation, beyond requiring the
greatest efficiency and economy,
should not interfere with manage
tnent or operation. We believe that
these bodies. If they are to be per-
.nanent effective and of public ben
EFT, should De thoroughly represent
alive; they should be of such char
acter and should so conduct their
Investigations and deliberations as
TO command such respect from both
the public 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 disad-
yantages of public ownership.
We believe that centers of business
. and population exist. for the conven-
ience of the public as whole. and
that no such center can prosper with
out sufficient and efficient means of
intercourse with other centers and
] tributary territories; that such means
can only be afforded by prosperous
utility and service companies and
that fair rates are essential to pros
porous companies. We do not believe
} that any public either desires or can
obtain, nor can any service or utility
furnish. permanent and efficient serv-
( ice at less than cost. including cap
I ital charges. We believe that ulti-