The Washington times., 1918-07-31
Commission.
MAY CONTINUE.
TO SUPERVISE.
D. c. PHONES.
BY BILL PRICE.


Control of telephone rates in the
District Of Columbia will pass from
the Public Utilities Commission of
the district when the Government as
sumes charge of telephones and tele-
graphs tomorrow.
Officials of the commission are
even wondering whether their au-
thority over this utility will be Topped
on altogether with the passage to the
Government OF telephones every
where.
VIII Stay on the Job.
without official advices from Post
master General Burleson or the com
mittee acting with him in handling
the new problems, the District COM
mission will continue to exercise its
powers over the telephone company in
all matters except that OF rates.
There frequently arise complaints
from subscribers as to service or
charges for service and minor matters
generally. The presumption is that
the new administration will wish
things to go along just as in the past
OF which Congress gave the Presi-
dent full authority, just as 1t did in
the handling of steam railroads.
It will be for Mr.. Burleson to de-
eide whether he wishes the assistance
and co operation OF public service COM
missions all over the country. The
presumption is strong that he will de-
sire these official agencies to keep in
touch with telephone and telegraph
matters and make recommendations to
MN on the more important questions.
1t would require an immense or
ganization' by the Government to han
die the thousands of minor questions
arising In various localities over teIe-
phone and telegraph, especially tele-
phones
The disposition of Mr.. Burleson. as
director general of communication,
viii be to make use of existing agen-
cies within and without the COM
panies. It Is said. There is little in
.tention on his part at this time to dis
turb the operating organizations att
different places Instead OF doing this
he will doubtless appeal at an early
date to telephone and telegraph en-
ployes of the country to remain
where they are and give the best
they have to the Government
Thousands Of Exchanges.
July 1 last there were in operation
in the United States 81 ,297 telephone
exchanges and 21 ,72S central offices.
The Bell people, owned by the Ameri-
can Telephone and Telegraph Com
any, operated approximately one
third of the exchanges and the inde-
pendent companies the remaining
two-thirds. Every exchange has a
manager with an operating force
under him To attempt to upset the
local organizations would be far
from the purposes of Mr.. Burleson,
who wants the loyal aid and assist
ance OF all the thousands of tele-
phone employees. There has been talk
that Mr.. Burleson will put the tele-
phone exchanges in the hands of
postmasters throughout the country.
There is not the least probability
that he will do this, at least not for
months to come.
Although Mr.. Burleson has been too
much engaged with broader matters
to take up the local telephone situa-
ton, there is said to be. little chance
that he will disturb the present local
organization for some time to come.
The belief is that sooner or later, be-
cause of conditions here peculiar to
Washington and to the Government, !
the local exchange will be placed in
the hands of Postmaster NJ. o. Chance |
or some other official representing |
Mr.. Burleson, but to do that at once |
might create an impression through |
the country that Mr.. Burleson intends !
TO replace all local managers with
local postmasters. The effect would I
he to discourage the more than 21 900 |
local managers and to lose to the |
Government the efficiency these men |
now display.
So the Washington situation will |
r5robabIy remain unchanged for the |
present, except in efforts OF Mr.. Burle- |
son to have the service here bettered |
IN the interests OF the Government |
and citizens.
Even the question of replacing the |
existinR manual system OF telephones |
With automatics will not be rushed, |
fJ1t is believed to be assured in the |
future, as the Government obtains a |
more thorough knowledge of tele-
phone matters.
O6icials of the Bell interests have |
made 1t known to Mr.. Burleson that |
their business is operating well |
everywhere in the country except in |
washington and in Norfolk In both |
places there were unprecedented de-
nands caused by the war that placed /
extraordinary burdens on the tele-
phone company. In Norfolk the Bell ,
neopIe have closed a contract with
fbe manufacturers of automatic ap-
naratus to establish automatic phones /
in that city. The cost will be some
thing like half a million dollars. The /
automatic installation is due to the
fact that the existing equipment in
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