Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-07-30
PRESIDENT TAKES
TELEGRAPH WIRES
Under U. S. Control After Mid
night July 81.
IN CHARGE OF BuRLEson
Postmaster General Says No Changes
Will Be Made Affecting Press Ser
vice-Present Managers Will
Be Kept in Charge.

Washington. July "a. = President
Wilson's proclamation taking over for
the duration of the war operation of
telephone and telegraph lines was IS
sued late Tuesday. 1t did not include
radio systems and ocean cable lines.
Government operation and control be-
gins at midnight July 81.
The president did not exercise the
authority given him in the resolution
of congress to take over cable and
radio systems. No explanation was
Forthcoming, but it was assumed that
control of cables was not taken over
because of difficulties presented by
contracts cable companies hold with
foreign governments. Radio systems
already are controlled by the navy de-
partment.
Puts BurIeson in Charge.
Supervision, control and operation
of the wire systems is placed under
the direction of the postmaster gen.
eral.
The presidents proclamation pro-
vides that the postmaster, general. if
he so elects, may administer the lines
through the owners managers, boards
of directors or receivers. It provides
further that until the postmaster gen.
eral directs otherwise the present
arrangements shall continue.
Regular Dividends to Continue.
Regular dividends previously de-
clared and interest in maturing obliga-
tons shall continue to be paid until
the postmaster general directs other
wise; and subject to his approval the
companies may arrange renewal and
extension of maturing Obligations.
The postmaster general in his dis
erection may hereafter relinquish in
whole or in part to the owners any
telegraph or telephone system over
which he has assumed control.
No Change Affecting Press.
Postmaster General Burleson, in a
statement explaining his plans in oper-
ating the wire systems, said there
would be no change affecting the press
wire service, except to improve it
wherever possible.
Mr. Burleson also said that opera
ton and control of farmers telephone
lines would be interfered with only for
the purpose of facilitating their con-
nection with longer lines. No general
policy, the postmaster general said,
has yet been decided on.
&;ap. Lu &ha DrAesJonA
President Wilson's proclamation, af-
ter quoting the law by which congress
authorized him, says:
Whereas, 1t is deemed necessary
for the national security and defense
to supervise and take possession and
assume control of all telegraph and
telephone systems and to operate the
same in such manner as may be need
full or desirable.
''Now, therefore, ], Woodrow Wilson,
president of the United States, under
and by virtue of the powers vested in
me by the foregoing resolution and by
virtue of all other powers thereto me
enabling. do hereby take possession
and assume control and supervision
of each and every telegraph and tele-
phone system and every part thereof
within the jurisdiction of the United
States, including all equipment there
of and appurtenances thereto whatsO-
ever and all materials and supplies"
Puts BurIeson in Charge.
''It is hereby directed that the su-
pervision, possession, control and oper-
alton of such telegraph and telephone
systems hereby by me undertaken
shall be exercised by and through the
postmaster general Albert S. Burle-
son. Said postmaster general may
perform the duties hereby and here
under imposed upon him, so long and
to such extent and in such manner as
he shall determine, through the own
ers, managers, boards Of directors, re-
ceivers. officers and employees of said
telegraph and telephone systems.
"Until and except so far as said
postmaster general shall from time to
time by general or special orders 9TH
erWise provide, the owners, managers,
boards of directors. receivers. officers
and employees of the various telegraph
and telephone systems shall continue
in the usual and ordinary course of the
business of said system, in the names
of their respective companies, associa-
tons, organizations, owners or man.
a. ars, as the case may be.
To Pay Regular Dividends.
Regular dividends hitherto declared
and maturing interest upon bonds. de-