New-York tribune., 1918-11-20
Burles0n Rules Hotels and
Others Cannot Collect
More Than Company
Night Telegraph
Rate Is Reduced
: Messages VIII Cost Jus,
Half Present Price
After January |

Telephone charges, in one ,s,...
at least are TO be reduced ON e''' ~
after December |. Postmastas = A4'
eral Burleson. as head of n. -,
phone and telegraph companies w. ~
government control, in an order is.' s'
yesterday, directed that hotels a' o,"a
apartment houses and the like sbont
not charge in excess of the res,I..
pay station rates for calls.
The action of the Postmastsr r.
eral followed a long and nAr,i.... m
fight that has been waged for r.ss
by telephone users.
1t comes almost simultaneons,r -.
the decision Of the Upstate Publ, g.
vice Commission to hold puhljc h..,
Ing at Albany on complaints ma.
against the New York Telephon. c0r
pany as result of the como,,-.
system of installation and rnm.
charges.
During the summer and fall H.
Burleson took the stand that vhil. N.
Public Service Commission mi,s,
recommend increasing or decr.,ss,
telephone rates and charges, it r,t,d
with him to issue orders directing xu.A
changes. ''''
Ex.ra charges for the installation n,
telephones and the removal of eyt,r.
sion telephones. authorized bv Post.
master General Burleson as WI,
measure, are expected soon to be ~.
moved, it was indicated Yesterday st
the Postal Department IN Washington
1t was pointed out that the sdditons,
charges were levied solely TO discou,.
age the extension of the nations tel,.
phone service when labor and matsns
we're SO hard to obtain. Now tb,t
the war has ended and the uecsssity
Tor conservation has ceased. an orde,
is expected soon TO be issued autbon,.
ing telephone companies to seek new
business and to proceed with grad.
ual expansion. A nominal charge. how.
ever, is to be made for all installations
but the fee will be considerably. small.
er than the wartime charges. which
ranged from IS to $15.
Just what charge. if any will Be
made for the removal Of extension
telephones from one part Of home
to another has not yet been determined
by the department.
Mr.. Burleson issued q statement in
October that a thorough investigation
was being made with a view to stand.
ardizing telephone rates. He said thss
that there was to be a readjustmsrl
and that in the majority of cases til
public might look for lower rates.
F. Fl. Bethel. first vice president q
the New York Telephone Compsny
would discuss neither the order nor
the action OF the Public Service Con.
missioners. He declared it would b.
highly improper for any represents
tive OF the company u comment on thl
matter so long as the telephones yer,
under government control
MIR. Burleson said ne had urgently
requested an early report from tht
committee. which has been at work ts
SIX weeks considering the subject o.
wages and conditions of employment
OF telephone and telegraph employees
The subject is not easy to dea
with" he said. Both wages and con
ditions differ materially in difersn
parts Of the country and even in th'
same state
at is my wish to be just to thss
faithful workers and to act as prompt
ly as an intelligent disposition Of th'
subject viii permit Meanwhile TIT
employees should keep in mind that JUS
as public employees are paid higher
and enjoy better conditions in the Ions
run than private employees. SO changes
cannot be made as rapidly rs BY 81
individual employer"