United labor bulletin., 1914-03-28
ASSEMBLY TALKS
OF MUNY PHONES
Receives Report Of Committee
After One Hours Debate
Reaffirms Platform Declaration in
Favor Of Municipal Ownership;
Turns Down Minority Report

The telephone question was discussed
for over an hour in the Denver Trades
and Labor Assembly, with a majority
and minority report of the legislative
committee. At previous meeting the
committee had been directed 10 delve
into the telephone franchise and rate
matter and submit report which could
b. made the basis OF action or declara-
tion OF organized labor's position ON the
subject. When the majority report was
read a motion was made that il b. re-
ccived and filed and that the Assembly
reaffirm it- demand that all public util-
itics be owned and controlled by the ma
tional. state and municipal governments.
The majority report WAS signed by II. :.
reregrine. chairman. and j. II. Mitchell
Ben Blumcnberg, third member OF the
committee. submitted 4 minority report,
Ia which he contendcd more attention
should have been given TO nsrstigsting
the extent Of labor organization among
employees. working conditions and wage
scales He also said il would De impor-
tant TO know how many working people
had telephones in their homes.
4 motion to substitute the minority
for the majority report was defeated and
the original motion. made by Delegate
Fred Vessel. was adopted.
IN. majority report WAS as follows.
That the principles established by Or
CANNED labor are. primarily. pledged TO
the support of action that viii result in
municipal ownership OF all public util-
ities. and while your committee would
favor the support Of any action that
would tend 10 the accomplishment OF the
same, We believe that the municipal own
rrship Of propositions alrcady before the
p"oplc should b. srtilcd before attempt
ing 10 extend nnf nr;isiiirs. hecause the
attempt 70 solN. too many problems Of
like nature at the samr time would
cause confusion aud result in O serious
-ethsck 10 the et1irral principles for
which organized labor has pledged itself
1ud delay thr acooupii i-hmeut of the De-.
-Ir,d result DO other words. PROPOSITIONS
large IA the one mentioned should b.
settled one nj a time -o that when the
attempt l. made 10 put a utility under
municipal control all the time aud
thought OF ali parties concerned can b.
concentrated with the one object in view.
Therefore your committee thinks that
the important thing 20 consider at this
time j. the proper charge for the telc-
phone service and the equal distribution
ri the same. and there Is no one, not
even the telephone company itself. who
VIII deny that the present cost to the
thHNhNHfi - fNatNNANfF 1NMA fNiuniAAt'f
believes that any one person should not
H. compelled to pay any more than an
other for the same service and that the
best way OF distributing the cost is by
the adoption OF readiness to serve
charge, message rate for all calls. and
that subscribers TO each class OF service
should BE- treated alike
The Business Mems committee have
formulated q plan that they claim will
eliminate all past differences and pro-
vide just and equitable nate for alli
however. your committee believes that
this committee is not acting in good
faith. and that their object. ~ expressed
in these proposed rates. is TO be able to
get business phones at fraction of THEN
sctusl value, and that these concessions
arr sought in addition to the cheap ad-
ycrtising that they are deriving from
the agitation, and that they contemplate
forcing the homo-owner TO pay the excess
that IA necessary 90 maintain the scrv.
ice of the system and the capacity of
it's attorneys 20 draw constitutional
ordinance is not one that should com
mend itself to citizens who want i'm.
mediate relief from cxtortionatc tcle-
phone charges.
In reference To tho work of the en-.
gineer and the accountants called in by
tho Schirmcr committee that have re.
Gently investigated the affairs of the tel
Continued on Page Two.1