Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1913-11-14

ter to his colleagues in the House asking |
them to submit to him statement of the
telephone practices. methods, rates and
other conditions in their districts. The re-
plies Mr.. Lewis has received indicate
strong trend toward Federal control of the
telephone lines. Mr. Lewis did not ask the
members of the House to state their views
on Government ownership of the wire lines,
but many of them took advantage of the
opportunity to advise the Marylander that
they were seriously inclined toward such
proposition.
This sentiment which has come to Mr..
Lewis without solicitation, has strength
ened his belief that Congress in the next
two years will take steps looking to the
acquisition of the big telephone service in
the country. Mr.. Lewis told the Second
and Third Class POstmasters, in a conven-
ton two weeks ago, that it is only matter
of two years before there will be added to
the postal service the operation of the
gigantic telephone system of the nation.
Mr.. Lewis is now completing his inquiry
into problems bearing upon the Federal
Government taking over the telephone
lines. 1t has not been decided whether he
or member of the House Postoffice Com
mittee will offer the bill in the House. The
bill will be introduced, however, shortly
after the December session of Congress gets
down to work. and the Marylander will
then prepare himself to get behind the
measure and push it along as he did the
parcel post legislation. He will fortify
himself with all possible information so
that he will have at his fingers tips data
with which to fight the opposition to the
plan.
The letters received by Mr.. Lewis show
a varied condition of telephone rates and
practices in various parts of the country
that is startling. Where there is opposi-
ton, the rates of the Bell system are al
most half of what they are in districts
where there is no competition. 1t is also
revealed that some sections of the country
have rates as low as $l50 month, while
| NehSi oSShiOio diC " pay illBl
as $3.50 month or 500 year. In some
sections, especially where there is compe-
tition, reports of good service are made,
but in the non-competitive sections indif-
ferent service is maintained. Some Con-
gressmen make reports that they are charg-
ed for service in their home towns when they
are in Washington, although the telephone
company has been notified to stop the
service temporarily.
No official statement has been made that
the Wilson administration will indorse the
movement for public ownership of the tele-
phone lines. Talk has been rife that Post
master-General Bureson will favor such a
program in his annual message, but this
has not been officially confirmed. 1t is not
believed that Mr.. Burleson will officially
sanction the movement unless President
Wilson wants it done. Among the postal
experts in the Postoffice Department, how
ever. there is a strong feeling for the pro-
gram.
The Lewis bill, when it goes to Congress,
will not include the telegraph lines Should
the Government desire to 60 into the tele-
graph business, it can do so by attaching
telegraph instrument to the copper tele-
phone lines and utilize them for sending
messages.