The Washington times., 1916-11-06
CONNOR TAKES ISSUE
ON PHONE METER
Replies to Telephone Company
Statement and Denies That
Call Register Is Automatic.

A. p. Common. the chairman Of the
telephone committee Of the South
east Washington Citizens Associa-
ton, answers the telephone COM
pany's statement that they use an
automatic metering system and that
their rates are low. which statement
was published in The Times last
week:
To the Editor OF THE TIMES.
The chairman of the Southeast Citi-
Gems Association committee on the tele-
phone. denies that the telephone COM
pany uses an automatic motoring sys-
tenn on It's lines, but that the metertng
system. on the other hand. IL one that
requires the manual operation of the
telephone operator, and II this operator
makes q mistake. there is no way of
committee does not object to the tele-
phone company having n meter in It's
own Offices, but contend that there
should ,,nn be one ne at The telephone users
nation. Other utilities. such as the
gas. electric light. taxicab, water, etc,
are not afraid or ashamed to put a
not seen why the telephone company
should not.
Open Measurement.
Every line of business in ordinary COM
mercial life, measures Its product before
the eyes OF customers and why should
the telephone company adopt differ
ent conventional method. Clearness and
denniteness In charging for service 10
but fundamental principle OF business
that Ii satisfactory and consistent to
the people in WASHINGTON. in this age,
and the committee Ia simply following
this policy recommendation.
In regard to the rate for telephone
calls, the telephone company does
not STATE that ! cent a call Is too
not. Therefore such a rate should
be adopted. The present system OF
charging 10 ridiculously inconsistent
with this age. The telephone is made,
by this company. available only. TO
the people who are more or less
wealthy. The average man cannot
afford q telephone in his house. un-
der the conditions that the telephone
company imposes. and that the .util-
tiles permit. and this in itself shows
| Its injustice.
Should Have Universal Use.
The telephone should be in the
house OF all the people. even as gas
and water. and electric light is in
stalled. where there Is a reasonable
/ demand and facilities for use. The
telephone is more Important than
any other utility in the District OF
| columbia. except water. and Il should
be available for universal use. The
methods can charge as high as SO
Tor a single call. and their system of
| contracts Is abhorrent to every per-
son OF moral consequence. because
the contracts deny him the right 10
except Under the dictation and con-
sent or the telephone trust. The tel
ephone company has no straight
charge OF 2h cents and 2 cents, as il
| In n.
And this fact is too well known 10
require argument
As a matter of fact. there is hardly
a person in the District OF Columbia
Ice" who can tell ofrhand what each
telephone call has cost him for the
past year. For example. suppose he
has had a s3o-a-year contract; II he
that call; IL ne had two. II was sis, and
so on. so that only a miracle man can
keep track OF the rate" per call.
Condemns Charges.
The committee condemns this system
Of charging, and believes It is right in
It's judgment. And while the telephone
company may object to leaving its pres.
ent antiquated and unconventiona
methods of charging, II IL believed that
Its eventual change will be for its good
and will give the public the use OF a
utility In manner that will be Just tC
the ordinary Individual and beneficial
to the community.
1t IL noted that the other charges
made by the committee have not beer
answered. and II IL. therefore. presumed
that they are accepted. and II Is tC
be hoped that the defects they pointed
out will be eliminated. The committe,
gave the matter a great deal OF investi
cation and thought. and they are al
ways welcome to publicly discuss any
OF these matters in The Times. and e
do It with signature. through the chair
man. and leave the decision OF an,
argument to the readers of The Times
It fs believed that great deal OF gooC
will result from such discussion, and
the committee thanks the telephone
trusts that the whole matter will brinl
about universal use of the telephone II
every household in the District. which
Is not possible under present condition.
imposed by the telephone company anc
| Darynitted nv the utilities Commission,