The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-01
PHONE EMPLOYEES
WILL Be RETAINED
Government Control to Result
in No Radical or Immedi-
ate Changes.

Control Of the telephone and tele-
graph systems OF the country taken
over at midnight last night by the Gov
crnment. the direction Of which will be
in charge Of the Postmaster Generals
Department. will In no way affect the
operation of the telephone lines at pres
ent. Postmaster General Burleeon. ac-
cording to Theodore ". Vail, president
Of the American Telephone and Tele-
graph Company. the parent organiza-
ton Of the Bell telephone companies.
has said that no changes will be made
until after full and careful consid-
Grafton"
Instead Of being replaced with APP
pointees OF the Government the ofYicials
and workers now employed by the COM
panies are to be retained. In a formal
statement issued yesterday Mr.. Vail
praises the loyalty of the employees
and calls upon them to render to the
Government the same quality of service.
President Wallis statement followed a
conference with leading officials OF the
company in his office at 1875 Broad
way. He says that even in Mr.. Burle-
| sons opinion about the only possible
room for Improvement OF the service lies
In the greater powers to be derived from
the Government. The statement fol-
lows:
40 employees OF the Bell Telephone
Companies.
Under the authority Of the law and
by proclamation of the President pos
session and control of the wire sys-
tens pass to the Postmaster General as
OF August !.
an a conference held in Washington.
Mt which were present the Postmaster
General. the Government operating COM
mittee and representatives Of the Bell
companies. the Postmaster-General eX-
pressed most emphatically his apprecia-
ton OF the service which the Bell COM
panies were rendering and said that
such improvement possible to be made
would be because OF the additional
power derived from the Government He
asked for the cooperation and assistance
OF those who had heretofore been re-
sponsible for the service.
The Pos.master-General was equally
emphatic in the statement OF his desire
to conserve the service and properties OF
tho companies. with view OF returning
! them when called upon so to do to the
owners in as good condition as received
| It was his earnest desire that the owners
| should receive Just compensation In the
| full sense for their USE.
1.-The Postmaster General, until other
| instructions are issued. desires that the
conduct of operations shall continue as
heretofore. and also states that no
changes will be made until after consul
tation and full careful consideration.
ITO all who are identified with the
Bell companies--who have shown your
| fine sense of obligation and your loyalty
and fidelity to the country. to the public
service and to the property IN the past
and to whom the credit Is due for the
prestige and position OF the companies
in the public eye--it is asked. and 1t Is
not too much TO ask of you. that same
| loyalty. fidelity and devotion 70 the ser
vice under the new orders OF things. On
your behalf such loyalty, fidelity and de-
| voton to service have been promised.
| knowing full we'll the spirit in which you
| would meet and respond to the request.
ITO do ones full duty in each position
Is the greatest obligation resting upon
| every person and Is also the greatest
opening to future preferment."