The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1916-12-13
LEWIS INTRODUCES
TELEPHONE BILL
Proposes Government Ownership,
Providing One Cent Night Rate
For District OF Columbia.

Washington, Dec. 1z.-Represen-
tative David Lewis introduced bill
in the House today which indicated
that he is still firm believer in
those doctrines of government own
ership which the people of Maryland
repudiated when they defeated him
for election to the United States
Senate last month. Mr.. Lewis bill
proposes the government ownership
of the telephone systems in the Dis
trict of Columbia. The bill provides
for a one cent night rate telephone
call, to be USED especially In lete-
phoning to farmers III the first par
eel post zone. w hIle this feature of
the bill is emphasized and is intend
ed to- help the parcel post service by
facilitating communication between
the farmer and his city customers, it
is not the entire bill.
Mr.. Lewis claims that the rates in
Washington are unduly high, a
claim which, when considered In con-
nection with the unsatisfactory ser
vice, will not be generally disputed.
He says that responsible telephone
manufacturing company has submit
ted to government authorities, at
their request, the statement of its
engineers showing that taking the
Washington telephone at its stated
cost, the postal system could operate
1t at $2O.51 per phone annually,
which includes 3 per cent. interest
and full depreciation"
''They propose at first tariff of
$12 per annum," he said, including
900 calls, and two cents for each ad-
ditiona1 call. With yearly utiliZa-
ton of 5000 calls per phone, this
rate would produce $50 revenue on
each phone. At l per cent. per call
the utilization in a city of such size
would not fall below $500 calls an
nually, experience SAYS, and thus ul-
timately rate of $12 per year with
1900 calls included; and cent per
added call is declared to be support
ed by experience.
There is, of course, no prospect
that the Lewis bill will become
law. although it may pass the House
If Mr. Lewis can succeed in procur
ing its considera Ion in the present
short session. The friends of Mr..
Lewis have not hesitated to charge
that because of his advocacy of gov
eminent ownership of telephones, the
telephone interests were not indif-
ferent in his recent campaign for
the United States Senatorship. The
bill will not mass the Senate, GER
tainly not at this session, but it may
arouse sufficient interest to cause an
improvement in the present local
telephone service.
He pleads for CHEAPER communica
ton between Washington consumers
and the farmers. cat the present"
he says, 1.-The toll rates are prohibit
tive for small transactions hetween
the farmer and the house, nfas
cffifate buying and selling their
food sunnlies through the parcel
post. Although Washington is COM
p1etely environed by farms, they
cannot be 0ched within a practi-
cable cost Dytelephone, while letter
communication IS fmpracticable; for
the transaction, however small, re-
quires the bargaining conversation.
Take Poolesville, Montgomery coun-
ty, Md.
1t is a farming center within 20
miles direct distance of the District.
The toll rate is 20 cents for three
minute talks; of course, prohibitive.
The night rate under the bill would
be three cents, which would make it
as easy to give phone order to a
Poolesville farmer as to the grocer in
the city. What likely would happen
is that the farmer, who also would
enjoy the rate, would phone list OF
his products and prices to Central
for information, which would thus
evolve into a clearinghouse for farm
supply information and be able to