New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-17
President and Postmaster
General Want InveStiga-
ton Completed First.
LEWIS INSISTS ON
BUYING PHONE LINES
Declares They Can Be Operated
by United States at a Proflt OF
S125,OO0,000 Year.

Washington. Jan l6.-Legislation look
ing 70 government ownership OF the tele-
graph and telephone lines Of the country
will NOT he undertaken at the present
session OF Congress.
This fact developed to-day foho"lhN
a conference between the President ana
the Postmaster General The conference
lasted an hour, and the question was
discussed from every angle fostihaS'e'
General Burlesou agreed with the iI'S'-
dent that the Investigation being maze
bv agents Of the administration should
be completed before Representative Lewis
of MARYLAND. introduced the bill he mas
PREPARED Mr.. Lewis has been OF the
opinion that government ownership Wou'u
be expedited by the Introduction OF MS
bill I'm the House. a. he anticipates that
Congress will make protracted inquiry
itself before enactng the necessary leg
isation.
Mr.. Burleson has made recommended
lions for government ownership III MS
annual report. but President Wilson thus
far has not committed himself on the sub
iect. although II is well understood mere
that he at least approves the activities
Of Representative Lewis and the interest
Of the Postmaster General.
Another subject discussed by the Presi-
dent and Mr.. Burleson was the provision
I'm the postoftce appropriation bill per
hitting the appointment OF assistant post
masters without regard To civil service
milo Al
discuss the matter after he had the con
ference, but he is understood To oppose
the injection OF the extension OF the spoils
system in the postal service.
In the House to-day Representative
Lewis delivered a speech urging the i'm
mediate acquisition Of the telephone lines
by the government Mr. Lewis is OPP
posed 10 the government ownership of the
telegraph lines, believing that this l. I'M
necessary because telephone wires can he
used for both telephone and telegraphic
purposes
The telegraph companies said Mr.
Lewis, have plants outgrown by modern
science Their capitalization Is water
logged by two generations OF counterfeit
stock issues The innocent taxpayer
should not be required to shoulder losses
claimed by owners who assumed the risks
with the profits OF the business"
The Maryland member, who is co-au-
thor Of the parcel post law, alleged that
the existing telephone and telegraph ser
vice is both inefficient and costly.
1T is not inaccurate, economically
speaking" said Mr.. Lewis, "to state that
our telephone and telegraph charges are
the scandal of public service rates the
world over. Yet our postal rates rank
among the lowest OF all, and among
twenty-one countries only Japan. with a
letter rate of liz cents. is lower"
Urging the postalization Of the ,ele-
phone lines TO bring down the exorbitant
rates charged In this country, Mr. Lewis
made the following comparisons:
"The unlimited yearly rate in London
is sS2 70: Paris. 81 90; Berlin, $43 20: Stock
holm. s24 ~: altogether. 1927 So The rate
in New York is more than all, sos for
800 calls. about fifteen day. In Nor
way the rate is s. year in smaller
towns in the Netherlands, $l4 There is a
measured rate in Switzerland. after the
second year. Of s. r. plus a cent call.
THE capital required is $500, 10000; the
business done about $35O,O0o,0p a year,
with a profit indicated I'm excess Of ;l25,
10000. available to extensions. to pay off
the fifty-year bonds proposed TO be sold
TO start the system. and as room for re-
auctions in rates, eventually 10 the rates
now made in Europe. No business man
would hesitate at an investment paying
- per cent"