The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-01-30
Attorney SWayze, Counsel for
Company, AssaiIs Every Fea-
ture of Measure.
CARELESSLY DRAWN, is HINT
Says Proposal Is Subterfuge
for Settlement of Government
Ownership Problem.

In concluding his argument against
the Lewis bill providing for Govern
ment ownership of telephones in the
District, Attorney John L. Swayze,
general counsel for the Chesapeake
and Potomac Telephone Company, to-
dsy assaiIed every feature of the
measure and condemned it in its en-
tirety as unfair as well as costly ana
impractical.
saThis bill was drawn carelessly and
without proper study of the big sub
1ect it aims to deal with" said Attor-
new Swayze, to the House District
Committee. an addition IT was
drafted with an utter disregard for
the simplest and plainest legal rights
of the telephone company.
at attempts by vicious subterfuge
to bring about a settlement OF the
great economic question of Govern
ment ownership"
Means Federal Control
Passage Of the bill, he said, would
break down and destroy State rights.
1t would form the entering wedge for
Government ownership of telephones
throughout the United States, which
would cost more than 81 600, 000, 900 at
the outset and many millions a year
thereafter. Complications in the pay
ment of taxes were also predicted by
the attorney, who alluded to the fact
that the Bell Telephone Company now
pays $14,OO0,0O0 a~year in taxes to the
various States.
Referring to the operation OF tele-
49,
pIoyes, Attorney Swayze said this
would seriously interfere with the
privacy which subscribers now enjoy
with regard to their business and So
cial communications. He added:
These employees will be under civil
service rules, and the restrictions I'M
der which they work will be estab-
lished by the Government at Wash
ington- In the event OF unsatisfac-
tory treatment of the subscriber no
practical method of obtaining redress
will be possible to the aggrieved sub
scriber, and most meddlesome inter
ference by unpleasant and distasteful
employees would be a matter of com
mon occurrence"
Washington Segregated.
The attorney expressed the belief
that even advocates of Government
ownership would vote against a bill
which would segregate Washington
from the remainder of the Bell sys-
tenn He said II Government owner
ship was to be considered by Congress
the question of Federal control all
over the United States should be faced
fairly and squarely at the outset The
attorney strongly voiced his disap-
proval Of piecemeal Government own
ership legislation.
Abiding to the fact that the bill
contemplated "confiscation and cen-
scription Of the telephone company,s
property" Attorney Swayze said he
had strong doubts as to the constitu-
tlonality Of such procedure. He de-
clared it. unfair to the company to
take charge of its lines within a zone
OF nifty miles beyond Washington in
Al directions while purchasing only
the property in the District.
Charge FavOritism.
When Attorney Swayze said section
Z OF the Lewis bill. which would nut
farmers and consumers into communi- |
cation at low rates, contained charges
abnormally small and favored GER
tain classes. Congressman billiard /
asked:
Don't you think the fair spirit of
the American people may be trusted
not to permit favOritism in the way
Of rates?'
Attorney swayze said the fair spirit
OF the people would be governed by
the terms Of the bill as passed.
Asked by Congressman HiIIiard IL
ne knew of any better place than
Washington where the Government
might make a start in controlling
telephone lines, Attorney Swayze re-
plled that he was not in favor of a
beginning anywhere.
Calls Bill Defective.
The attorney referred to the Lewis
bill as "the product of a kindergar-
ten study" and contrasted this with
the fact that thousands Of men en-
ployed by the Bell Telephone Com
pany have devoted their lives to
studying and building up the indus
try.
He said further that every asser-
tion made by the patron of this bill
has been successfully answered by
PRESIDENT F. II. Bethel. OF the Ches-
Epeake and Potomac Telephone Com
pany. and many OF the so-caIIed facts
cited by the proponent have been
proved untrue. while his comparisons
have been inapplicsble and worth
less"
The hearing will be resumed to-
morrow morning at 10 o'clock. when
Congressman Lewis will again adj
dress the House District Committee
in advocacy Of his bill. /: