The Detroit times., 1917-11-26
SAYS PHONE
TALKS COST
T 90 MUCH
ID. j. Lewis Points Out
Advantages of Pub
lie Ownership

Davld j. Lewis, member or the
tariff commission and former
member OF congress. was the speak
or in the Open Forum. in McColles-
ter hall. Sunday afternoon. Discuss
Ing the proposition OF government
ownership and operation OF tele-
phone and telegraph lines. he said.
in part:
The parcel post, ot which had the
honor q authorship in the house Of
representatives, affords a striking IL
lustration or the efficiency OF our
postal system where lt is allowed 70
discharge It's functions. The public
~ saving some seventy millions or
dollars this year on its postal eX-
press parcels as compared with ex-
press charges and postal surplus
uf ten million. The pOstOffce has
a genius for doing little things
oheapIy and well. 1t is carrying over
four hundred million parcels this
year more than the express cOmpan-
les. and these parcels travel 400 mile IS
for "a cents. Eighty per cent OF
these parcels never moved at all un .
til the event OF the parcel post and
Tor generations the traffic was killed
by tho prohibitive rates and restrict
ed service OF the companies.
An even greater evil exists today
In the field or public communication.
thfftl 10 inc ptstDLUee unutf the
constitution. Private and foreign
functlonaires have possession - our
public agencies Of electrical commu-
uication. the telegraph and telephone,
and arc killing more traffic than the
express companies ever do, hy pro-
hibitiVe rates and restricted service.
take you 70 an average town IN
Europe and Introduce you 20 the
postmaster. You 80 into his ofhce.
lt ia the express office. the telegraph
Office the telephone office, all in one.
lie shows you his electrical Commu-
nlCating system. IL oonvcrgea 60 ono
line OF poles IN the street. carrying
the telenra telephone wires The
toll telephone wire is also -rrT5 trle-
graph wire. and you can use ~ for
both purp0eee at the same time The
European postmaster uses ali I'VE
fingers OF the postal hand. tho cx-
savings bank The letter. the tele-
graphic and telephone agencies OF
communication. Unity efficiency,
economy. and an annual surplus OF
f22 GOO 600 IS the result.
Tho above picture Ia true or tho lB
great postal systems on tho world In
1910 tho gross profits from their postal
that is their mah, express. tele-
amounted to f12f,335.2l7. or 20 per
cent OF their gross receipts
We 80 now to my home town and
meet tho American postmaster. It
Nouta 90 hll@ho oHltL 10 toll MN n
postmaster In other countries, FOR
his functions have been divided
among sirangers book ing from the
postofhc' window ne shows YOU their
rudlmtntAfy ifhglneni7 ou see on
ono corner The Office uf Wells Fargo.
on another the Adams. farther down
the street The National and American
'LNf''' 'Iha" ana even IN me nero
OF communication. saered 90 thc post
al Hy+t IN h'drl re chhsiltution'
aal lsa ..f al uNN frf
slH YOU "- iA Sepafafe oInces ot
thr 'NirI1 tinn ana Sno pr resunI'-
Tue -'ifd I"ftAi ltltsi iph COM
pHui"H Nf ' WIN 'N'N nih'r ana the
tNfl HipiHith ih the proc ,s iouS
a. t p'htaf I'H'Hl t' p, wv htN
= &C. l'hnH he tpuiq
tslh Nif' ,N' n'Ws was 'abltn o
10 t.A I' ana li" y Ietai '"'' = ram
ems int n ioHnd ihet Could use
thr HNN Wlfcs fnf teieph Nnlhk
hNt ''.' a'tiis 10. f"'i' ~
n.rrt li! I-hr"l You sec ON ~
O. on on
lhr ' blU' t""
nu ee three hev ~ Y los
VIC F ".'u TlNi
''- ""S
~ ""t KY, ~.
itN tI 7i'ii' ~i " .i4
Htr' ,''r hn' .l,n,l '..sh apH , tIi.
lahl'r f'' ii is ., ilis ~" 4.Ni
~ .''' ~,
tet h .ii. ~, s,.iii' ~ ,i'0
pole line %! c"inp. th tet.pu1i'
"'fit ni'H ,ain 'iLlv Wv hnfil 80
HaA as.e
rprulraI - waste oNcfhraa OF men!
or mater iihi or c3pllaA on mana hsel AZ
AMI exec 'nIlN' l"p"I "
NV W. "a llS w ,
egr Eioua bill 81. waste. ROW - the
Bill collected Ihru thelr rates OK
course.
Betore tle percel pos w nhn INC
highest pGei rates sun nave
ihe hlEh"st telesI Apn rates, MY ful
from Two 70 tour mes h- nlb n ~
win p"stal sNH"lnH i.I Ne Sall' ui
thncf me 'hett "t th.Ts
thht 1u.y 'noH -. '"',' .,' ~ !
st our haAuihl i'ifh 'pnt, epil p,'l
uch'' Nv D,HiHWl, wltt ", ,"Ne
shh ptl'e leNtiH' thI WI a - ,.l ,i.'l'
tsN, HnoWN uiu' ~. @ WIS ~ 'nft.a
the hlt'd states pul On w tnp - -.
Ahd get wlg 'ls halis &c
Me s'nu lVl .'ll'Ir per ~ - A'u ~ q
~ q. .eiahaes uuI - -,
s'npe hat ~. =,
~, NJ w ".' A'i''H '"' '"P"