The Washington times., 1916-12-13
NEWMAN OUT FOR
LEWIS PHONE BILL
Commissioner Approves Plan
For Government to Take
Over District System.

Continued from First Page.)
man Lewis proposal. Commissioner
an Individual in expressing the hope
that the bill would pass.
Date Yet to ne Set.
The commission has not yet set a
date for the forthcoming hearings ,on
the valuation OF the properties OF the
Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone
Company. The hearing on the vslu.
alton OF the Potomac Electric Power
Company, now In progress, may take
considerable time yet, and this will
be followed by hearings on the valu.
ations Of street railway properties.
should the Lewis bill be passed the
hearings on the telephane company
ernment would then take them over.
and the Lewis bin provides for their
valuation by the Interstate Commerce
Commission for the purpose of pay.
ing the company's present owners.
Charges Monopoly.
Mr.. Connor stated today that some
OF the facts he will bring out in his
talk to the builders and manufac.
turers Friday evening will relate to
the fact that the local telephone com:
many enjoys n monopoly, not only OF
PeTvise, but OF furnishing equipment
to the Government spd the District.
He asserts that the charge OF
PAYS is excessive. and that the
charges assessed for installing instru.
ment and lines also are excessive.
wouid Mea. Increase.
a., x.... 49, r.,,i. hiiI stronoiy" I"
Mr.. sonnor said today. because the
Government control OF the telephone
would meal the increase or private
merciai facilities Of the telephone"
Mr.. Connor contends that the tele-
phone should be installed without
charge, and the charges OF the service
assessed against the user by q nxed
toll on each call. to be accounted ssts Tor Tor
user. as well rs the compan y.ean
read.
He further asserts that the term
rates" as applied to the telephont
company's charges to the user In
misnomer.
Rates Vary.
"A rate implied some fxed and stat
ed charge for a service" he said.
whereas the so-called rates OF the
temephone company vary for the
same service between different users.
and at different times for the same
users. and the CHARGES are not to be
classed as rates but as private con-
tracts.
Under these contracts. with their
divergent and flexible charges, II IL
the public for the Public
company TO talk about rates"
Explaining this point. Mr. Connor
pointed TO the form OF contract which
gives coo calls for s3s a year.
six Cents . Call.
'Tf Just 600 calls are used" he
said. this means a rate of 6 cents q
call. Now note that the telephone
company gives other subscribers calls
for as low as cents.
Mote further that " q man uses
only half these calls he is paying for
'hsRB yaits fGmRls fi%f9s,ion Ease upon . ..rv,e.
which would not cost the company
give, the rates are raised. and
the use of telephones greatly re.
stricted."
Ne expert seryices.-
Mr.. Connor stated that he could
show that the Government makes its
contract with the telephone company
without the expert services" which
he says are stipulated In making
such contracts.
tai 20 the Government In that rates
are high" he said, "and payments
are made 30 AZ to duplicate service.
Tho contracts compel the Govern
ment TO pay a yearly rental on appa.,
cost the Government TO buy IL.
ssid save Thsussads.