The sun., 1918-11-19
SEIZURE OF CABLES
IS PROTESTED ANEW
Mackay Sees Move as Enter
ing Wedge for Govern
ment Ownership.

All marine cable systems centring in
New York continued TO operate under
private direction yesterday notwith-
standing the Presidential proclamation
issued November 2. Just made public in
Washington, authorizing the Govern
ment to tako control.
The wires were still congested with
messages. The Western Union y ter
day announced the restoration Of Its
| cable service, everything being accepted
| subject TO delay. Z. c. Sweeney. man.
ager of the French Telegraph Gable
Company. said his operators were doing
the best they could with messages but
| That there was several days delay IN
transmitting them.
A second statement protesting against
governmental seizure OF the cables was
issued yesterday by Clarence II. Mackay.
president of the Postal Telegraph Com
pany and the Commercial Cable Com
pany. Mr.. Mackay said:
THE proposed action OF the Govern
| ment TO take over the cable lines Is in
| comprehensive to me. The very vast
| ness OF the proposition Is staggering. For
| Illustration, We have a cable ten thou
sand miles long from San Francisco TO
| China and Japan and Manila. What in
| the world could the Government do with
that?
| '"The Central and South American
| Cable Company has cables from New
York through the Panama Canal and
| away down the west shore OF South
America and across the mountains 70 the
| Argentine Republic. 1t is a tremendous
\ system. What in the world can the Gov
eminent do with that. and why does II
| want II? t.
i'Then there is the Atlantic system OF
! seventeen transatlantic cables which the
/ Government proposes to take over, six
| Of which are British owned and are
merely leased 10 the Western Union. and
who knows but that serious compiled
| tons might not arise in the future in
connection with these foreign owned
| cables?
| "All the cables arc now worked tc
their utmost speed, and by the most
expert management. and II is simply
| impossible TO get anything more out OF
those cables than is being got. all &c
the contrary Notwithstanding If We still
had three or four years OF war before us
there might be some sense in the Gov.
eminent exercising some degree OF SUI
pervision over the handling of these
vast cable systems but everybody BE-
| lltNtS lIldt the terms OF peace VIII DC
worked out within two or at least three
months, and Furthermore the Navy De.
| partment has been exercising censor.
ship and Is continuing TO do So Why
then does the Government want &c
seize these cables for such 4 short space
| Of time1
1T will merely disorganize the sys,
tens and undoubtedly will be a heavy
expense to the Government and no good
can come OF 1t. Apparently the PROPOSE.
ton Is merely the reverberation of the
action Of the Government In taking over
the land telegraph lines on August 1
| 1918. when the war was in full swing
! That has now passed by and there is nc
rhyme or reason as far as I can see for
the Government now seizing these vast
cable systems
There Is certainly no element of ma.
| tional security and defence In taking
over these cables now. when the war Is
over. and yet that was the sole pur,
pose OF the joint resolution under which
the Postmaster-General now takes these
cables. Moreover, it has been intimated
to me that there is serious doubt that
the courts would uphold the action of the
Government In SELLING these cable sys.
TENS under the war power after an ar.
mistice has been entered into. Then why
TINS action at this late day? The whole
move would appear to be a preIimInar,
march toward Government OWNERSHIP"