New-York tribune., 1918-07-03

take possession of the lines. using
doubtful powers Of the War Depart
mert" to insure service.
"The President should have the
power to take over the lines" he con-
tinued. "Most Of the traffic is govern
will injure the government. The tele-
phone and the telegraph are insep
2rable in service and both systems
should be taken over"
Replying to a question whether the
taking over OF the trunk wires would
requi1 similar action over independ-
ent snail companies, Mr.. Baker said
such action was mot necessarily" in
volved.
Legislation in addition to the Aswell
resolution, he said, would be neces-
sary, as in tho case Of the railroads, TO
deal with contracts and compensations.
u cannot imagine any more serious
interruption to our war preparations
than suspension Of telegraph service"
said Mr.. Bnker "Interruption, even for
brief time, would seriously interfere
with all Of our war activities"
Has any reference to strike Of
with this resolution ?' asked Repre-.
sentative Esch, Of Wisconsin,
II have no knowledge Of that" was
the reply. "The resolution came to
me in the form in which II was intro
duced."
"What effect" Mr.. Esch continued,
would the adoption Of this resolution
by Congress, If it should be adopted
before July S, have on the strike? 1t
would make all telegraphers govern
ment employees. would it not, and would
it prevent a strike %
ut would make all telcgraphers gov
ernment employees, but have no
kncwledge whether it would prevent a
strike" MIR. Baker replied.
Not Ready for Strike
Replying to question from Repre-
gentatiVc Montague, Of Virginia. Mr..
| Baker said the government has no
force "in the slightest degree adc-
quate" for operating the lines in the
event the lines were tide up by strike.
Would you feel that the owners
ought to be heard? ?" questioned Repre-
sentative Winslow.
Everybody ought to have a hearing.
but don't see any reason for it now"
! the Secretary answered. "The owners
can add nothing, and the question Of
property rights is not to be considered
above the public good"
Ihe American army in France is
operating 1000 miles Of telegraph and
telephone, Mr.. Baker told the commit
tee. These lines were acquired from
the French government, he said, and
are under entire control and operation
OF American troops.
Secretary Daniels told the commit
| tee the chief naval reason for taking
over the wires at this time is the pres
ence OF enemy submarines off the
American coast, and that their opera
ton by the government would be a
step toward the governments taking
every precaution to guard against
enemy attacks.
Daniels Talks for Navy
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 fraud or
could send a telegram by mail would
he sufficient reason to empower the
President to take over d line. Though
the great bulk of telegraph and tele-
( phone 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 they are employees
Of private corporation. | would feel
safer if government employees handled
al our messages"
Nv. Daniels said that when he wrote
mis- letter TO Chairman Sims advocat-
ing the resolution he did not know
there was possibility OF a strike on the
Western Union.
"My conclusion.' he added "was
reached on military needs
Mr.. Daniels declsled it would be
much easier to operate the telegraph
and the telephone lines than it is to
operate the mails Emphasizing his de-
sire 10 have war aud navy coInmuni-
cations handled by government Of
:iciais or employees, lie said the en-
ployes of private companies would be
and that even II there was a loss to
the government in point of money cts
worth paving for"
Navy Runs Own Wires
Failure OF the telephone systems un-
der the rush Of business early in the
war. Secretary Daniels said, caused the
Navy Department to lease its own
plants for navy yards.
Postmaster General Burleson told
the committee that, although ne had
long favored the telephone and tele-
graph service being made part of the
postal syste, this did not control his
view regarding the Aswell resolution.
"No man should try to put over his
pet hobby under the exigencies Of war"
he said. adding that because OF this
he had refrained from pressing his
desire for government control OF the
lines though he believed the Presi-
dent under his war powers now has
the right to take over the lines.
"Thc touchstone of the postal ser
vice" said Mr.. Burleson. ais service