Arizona republican., 1917-12-18

A hearing of greater interest to the general public in Phoenix than any similar hearing in many months has been set by the corporation. commas sion for Saturday morning, January 3, 1918, at 10 o'clock, at the offices or the commission in the state house.
 At that time will be heard the ap- plication of the Mountain States Tele- phone and Telegraph company to make changes in its method of conducting business in Phoenix and surrounding territory and to change rates charged for service, all without notice or per mission.
 The changes which are asked to be made by the telephone company are of such radical character and sweeping scope as to vitally affect all telephone users, which constitute a large major ity of the general public. r Not only does the Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph company de- sire to change the rates of service at pleasure, but permission also is asked to prohibit anyone but the immediate members of the family of subscriber from using a telephone, and to limit l telephone conversation to five minutes. Permission to make other changes also is asked by the telephone con- ! upholstered in legal verbiaSe, difficult ] of ready comprehension by the ordi- nary lay mind. However, the legal and engineering departments of the cor poration commission have reduced the i application to simple terms.
 The corporation commission, in giv | ing notice of the hearing, announces 1 that it will be of particular interest to the general public and invites a large attendance at the hearing in the rooms of the commission at the state house on the morning of January ) at 10 o'clock.
 In, the notice the corporation com mission yesterday made the following Stetsment;
 Permission has been asked by the Mountain States Telephone and Tele- graph company to make a number of changes in it's operating rules and schedules. A hearing upon this appli- cation will be- held by the commission on January A and the commission hopes that as many telephone subscrib- CTS as possible will be present in person.
 "The more important changes urged by the telephone company may be list ed as follows:
 q. The company requests that it be [ granted authority to change, at any time, without notice or hearing, its basic rate areas In explanation of this it might be stated that the com pany creaes certain arbitrary areas foI business, residence and farm service the rates in the different areas being based on the distance from the central office. If this request is granted il means the company will have the right at any time to either restrict or enlarge the limits of the present areas, and by so doing automatically increase or de- crease the rates of the subscribers To- cated therein.
 70. The company asks the enactment of a rule that no one except members of the family of telephone subscriber or employe of a subscribing firm be allowed the use of the telephone.
 8. The company desires the righ to disclaim any liability to the sub scriber for errors in the telephone di- rectory.
 . 4. The company asks the right t. assess a penalty or fine. ranging iron S1 to s2.50, before reconnecting or re installing service after it has been dis continued for non payment of servic' charges or other breach of contract
 ''5. The company desires the righ to limit the length of conversations t five minutes duration.
 "6. The company asks to be allowed to collect payment in advance for ; period of three months or more iron subscribers of no known financial re