Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-02
Continued from PAGE One

Continued from Page One
they had not been serious and would be
reduced under Government control
Postmaster General Burleson, who
clearly indicated that he expects the
lines to be placed under control Of his
department If they are taken over, add
ed the argument that the Government
could run the lines cheaper and more
efficiently than private lines. Burleson
said ne was against domestic censorship
or messages, just as he was opposed
to mail censorship. and declared he
would never oppose Government EN-
ployes unionizlng as long as they kept
free Of other organizations.
BurIeson willing To BE Bos.
Postmaster General Burleson before
the Commerce Committee said "he would
be very happy" If the President named
him s director of the telegraph and
telephones once they were taken over
but declared he was without assurance
this would be done
Later, however. Burleson indicated
his belief he would be named controller
with the statement that the Postoffice
Department could lower message rates
and return a profit
The telegraph service is breaking
down." Burleson said They couldn't
meet the necessity of the situation and
they were forced to send messages by
train.
Il don't believe they did this to de-
fraud. They were forced to do it"
Replying to questions put by Repre-
sentative Cooper, Of Ohio, Burleson de-
clared ernphatically that he did not op-
pose Government employees unioniEing.
but that he did object to them afiliating
with outside organizations
How would the Government avoid a
strike II union recognition was refused?"
Cooper asked.
Il believe telegraph employees are as
patriotic as I am" Burleson returned.
Burleson's Pet Hobby
Burleson said thai while he opposed
Government ownership as an abstract
proposition, the ownership of wire
communication by the Government had
long been his pet hobby" and that for
this reason he had refrained from push
ing the plan up 10 this time.
The close of Bureson's testimony was
marked by brush with Representative
Hamilton about abandonment of parti-
sanship during the war
Hamilton intimated the Democratic
party was guilty of partisanship in
Michigan, Hamiton's State.
Daniels Favors Ownership
My personal opinion is that it should
last forever" said Daniels, answering
question of Representative Winslow,
Massa chusetts.
Il believe that once we have an op-
portunity to test Government control OF
the telegraph and telephone systems
we will never want TO go back to
the old arrangement" he added.
Winslow asked why the President
could not take over control Of the busi- |
ness as he did with the wireless sys-
TENS without necessity of new legisla-
ton
The radio system was taken by an
executive order from the President. I |
think in this case IL would be better to
give power by statute" Daniels replied
Secretary Daniels said that every day
messages of great importance to the
Government are being sent over private
lines. and the fact that any company
could perpetrate a fraud or could send
a telegram by mail would be a sufficient
reason to empower the President to take !
over line. Though the great bulk of
telegraph and telephone employees now
are loyal, he said our experience is
that those who take the oath to support
the Government as Government officials
or employees feel more bound than thew
are as employees of a private corpora
tion. would feel safer II Government
employees handled all our messages"
Based on Military Needs
Mr.. Daniels said that when he w.o,s
his letter to Chairman Sims advocating
the resolution he did not know there
was possibility of a strike on the West
ern Union. my conclusion" he added.
was reached on the military needs" "
Mr. Daniels declared It would he much
easier TO operate the telegraph and IN.
telephone lines than II Is to operate ths
malls Emphasizing his desire to have
war and navy communications handled
by Government officials or employees he
said the employees OF private companies
would De taken over as Government en-
ployes and that even II there wss ,
loss to the Government in point ~
money Its worth paying for"
Failure OF the telephone systems I'm.
der the rush Of business early In ths
war Secretary Daniels said, caused the
Navy Department to lease its own MIA M
for navy yards.
Secretary Daniels told the committee
the chief naval reapon for taking oy.r
the wires at this time Is the presence
or enemy submarines of the American
coast and that their operation by the
Government would be a step toward the
taking every precautionary
step to guard against enemy attacks.
Not Immediate Necessity
Secretary Baker, taking the stand b..
fore the House Commerce Committee
said it did not happen at the minute 10
be military necessity 70 take over
telephones ana tslegrapha1eut II might