The Washington times., 1917-01-26
Interesting Testimony Given at
House D. C. Committee by
President r. H. Bethel.
INSTRUMENTS IN DEMAND
Easier Numbers to Remember
Are Mostly Sought by Citizens
Of FIo~ery Kingdom.

Although telephone conditions In
almost every country on the map
have been referred to at the hearings
conducted by the House District
Committee on the Lewis bill provid-
ing for Government ownership Of
telephones In the District, none OF
them interested the Congressman a.
much as Japan
The information regarding condi-
lions in the Flowery Kingdom. where
the telephones are owned by the gov
ernment, was impaired to the COM
mittee by President +. II. Bethel, OF
the Chesapeake and Potomac Tels-
phone Company. This official re-
ceived his information from an article
written by Mock Joya. a japanese.
wko appears TO have studied-the tele-
phone industry in japan.
Telephones Are Pawned.
Among the most interesting state
ments contained in the article II that
telephones are pawned by subscribers
in Japan, and that brokers with large
capital make a business of handling
telephone numbers.
Telephones can be pawned In Japan
for sums ranging from $500 to $500.
according to the euphony of their
number and the market price. They
are sold outright for $500: The rea-
son given for the pawning and sell
ing of telephones Is the scarcity of
telephones in Japan, there being a
waiting list of 10000 throughout the
country now.
Although the government owns the
telephones in Japan and makes a
profit OF 10000, 900 yen or about S.
900, 900 q year, the profits are turn
ed into the national treasury, and not
devoted to extension of the telephone
service. The Japanese parliament
makes an appropriation for the ex-
tension OF the telephone facilities
each year, but limits the number OF
telephones to be installed throughout
the country, and never appropriates as
much as the profits for any one year.
Demand II Great.
The result Is a great demand for
telephones, and the man fortunate
enough to have a telephone in his
home not only has something which
represents service, but something
which represents value as well.
Brokers in Tokyo, realizing that tel
ephones are always salable like stocks
and bonds, have lent more than g.
900 900 yen or 81 800 900 on the Sc
curity OF telephones.
Numbers which can be easily re-
membered not only command a high
er price than other numbers but ere
snapped up Immediately after going
on sale In Tokyo and other Japanese
cities. For instance. the number 1.2=f
would command a price of $500. and
similar sum or more would be paid
for 5.555 or 5000 or 500. Brokers
will lend as much as $500 on such
numbers.
Considered Ordinary.
Telephone numbers like 4001, 5siG,
2S5 are considered ordinary and the
price paid for them ranges between
5000 and $500. and the pawn value is
low.
When a subscriber fails to take his
telephone "out of soak" within the
specified time. the telephone number
becomes the property of the broke.
who in turn sells 1t for great deal
more than he lent on 1t The brok-
ers are always eager to lend morey
on telephones and are also constantly
besieged by would be purchasers.
The brokers are accused Of pulling
the market" and their activities are
held to be responsible for the h;Eu
price of telephones in the Flowsry
In Tokyo alone, $4,000 out OF = total
Of 81, 900 telephones are in the hands
Of the "uncles' of that city.