The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-12-17
BURLESON CALLS FOR
! u, S, OWNERSHIP OF
The WIRE SYSTEMS

WASHINt;TDN. Doc lG.---OwnGrShip
rv the government III the telegraph and
telephone systems ul IN" nation was
AZ "!mp.ralITc" hy Post
master General l!url"Sun to-day III a let
ter TO tcprcSrntHuiv: Moon. chairman oil
the house cumnittc" on puStoIticcS anu
post roads Mr.. RurlrS"n said IN" sYa-
tens can br acquired 'wllhnut mo az
uruprialiun of Il dollar from the pubic
,rcaSury' b. applying I" IN aIn"rtiZh-
lion fund for lwcntE-IlN" years IN" S;h!-
inEs made t:ndGr government ownership
through elimination "t duplicfti"ns III
plants and operating expenses
In SUPPORT Ut The EuN"rnmrnt "w!hr-
ship resolution jntrouucrd' In the house
last week by l;"prcScniatlrG M""iI. lH'
postmaster genera! quoted from Inc re-
cen, letter of Thc"dnr' y. Vail. president
II The AMERICAN r"lrph"nr ~ Iclrrrhph
Company, AMI ir"m the Hhlina' rtp"atS
IF Il number Of the poSimaSiLr -rn"rhls
since tn. civil war; all al whom agreed.
H. said. that government c"ntr"! or
ownership would greatly contribute |"
1.-The efficiency Of service.
The economic Importance Of ihr pro-
position iu aciu!r" the properties 10y III"
government Is very great. Mr.. hurIHS""
wrote.
"l'rlv;tr capital is invested III public
scrric" enterprises with tn" vHi"c,Iat'"n
Of seven to rIEhl percent and often Z
greater return upon til" Investment;
This. Of course. the public is expected
10 pay. while tn" government cnH o"r-
row niun"y at four and one hall per
cent Tho public. however, pays me
Chmrg" in either ,'""nt. The difference
between four and a half percent ana
eight percent for the MONEY invested III
the wire systems N tn" EnItcd States
would maintain and p:!y Tor the prop
criy In eighteen years and nine months
The government aS owner you'd IL"
more expect 10 charge for interest on
the investment than X would for monHI
invested III puSta! iacillilr5. navy yArua
or uIhrr PUBLIC pr"prrH.
As justification Tor the permanent
taking over ui the wire SYSTEMS. MI
HurnlcS"n said: =.
communication Is us much the function
t.: the government AS Is Tho prov Isi"n
for national dcfcn$c. y y X Moreover II
is essential tu The development III IN"
country aId Ia III" progress aud pros
pcrlty Of its people. IL IS a defense OIL
the national interests aS much IN p"acr
ms in war \ Extension "t tho wirr
service should be determined by public
nr.us. not the opportunity Tor private
The postmaster general said h. be-
licrrd that an effective plan could lie
worked out by which the waste OF com
petition can hr eliminated ana IN" ad-
vautaEc$ of rrIHdl" initiative III re-
search. investigation aid GNprrlnGhta-
tlun not Or lost.
Calling attention To the fact that
under H." existing Ia" hr tclcph"nr ana
trlcErarh properties Will auIunatlrallH
revert L. ia" private owners upon pro-
lamatiCn hy the president rf Il stat" 81
pciIcc the letter says that many ul IN"
indrprndrut telephone companies Could
not take back the. properties withuut
serious loss 10 the investors ami Erra,
drlriInrnt u the service. Many Of ih"sH
companies. tn" letter says. wrr" "p"rl'-
ed at Il loss owing To waste incident /"
competition and diversity Of stat" reg
ulaliun. and proper d"prcclHtIun
funds have not been set aside. IN" prop
IL n fhtItl
wnrrc proper public service could not be
rendered.