The sun., 1918-07-02
Government Control OF the Wires,

The same considerations which led
to the assumption Of control over the
railroads by the Government apply
to the telegraph, telephone, cable and
wireless systems. 1t is essential to
the successful conduct of the war that
their service shall be uninterrupted
by strikes or lockouts, that the needs
of the Government shall be provided
for first in their operation, that their
facilities shall be denied to enemies
Of the country, and that divergent
policies of administration shall not
interfere with the largest possible
use of their plants.
Under private direction the COM
panies have been absolutely ut the
service Of the Government. There
has been no finer exhibition of I'M
wavering loyalty than that which
they have given. Their obedience to
the rules laid down for their guild
ance has been unquestioning, sympa-
thetic and effective. Likewise, it is
highly improbable that restrictions on
communications to the enemy can be
more severe under Government con-
troll than they have been under the
close cooperation between Government
and owners that has prevailed since
we entered the war.
But the situation now existing, the
telegraphers' union having called a
strike for July 8, reveals weakness
that might bring dire results. The
discontinued operators, being in pri-
waite employ. feel that their right to
quit worh is unqualified, and the
threat to utilize 1t has been uttered
to compel their private employers to
grant their demands. The employers,
on the other land, convinced that the
demands made on them are unjust
and cannot be granted without serl-
ously endangering their property, nat
urally and justly refuse to be coerced.
Under such circumstances the rights
and the necessities Of the public, VI
tally bound up with the prosecution
of the war, require the drastic action
President WILSON recommended yes
ter,lay to Congress. The national
needs dictated Government control of
the railroads; the same imperative
needs master the wire and wireless es-
adjustments Of the country to-day.
One thought will come to every
American familiar with tine recent
history of the telegraph and telephone
companies. Only few years ago
THEODORE y. VAL, president of the
American Bell Telephone Company
proposed and put in operation a COM
prehensive and intelligent plan for
the harmonious cooperation Of that
corporation with the Western Union
Telegraph Company. The project Of
fereri great conveniences to the peo-
pie, the extension of the field of both
companies, and would have resulted
in highly advantageous improve
ment in the means Of communication
throughout the United States. Tn.
fortunately for all, however, this
broad scheme of national betterment
was killed by the Government. Mr.
Walls vision of unified telephone
and telegraph system, each device
supplementing and complementing the
other. and both employed for the bene-
fit of the country, was never fulfilled
in whole, though for few months II
was tested in practice and won the
approval of every citizen it affected
The United States, in blind antago,
nism to II forward step in vital in.
dustry, compelled It's abandonment.
How sharply the Federal officers or
whom will fall the burden of direct
Ing the giant monopoly Of communi
cations now in process Of formation
will regret that demagogy and petty
politics prevented the realization OF
the dream of THEODORE y. VAIL.