The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-07-22
PRESIDENT VAIL'S
 BIG ACHIEVEMENTS
By HOLLAND

l
 New York, July H.-(Special Jon the seventy-fifth birthday of Theodore N. vail who has been for Il years president of the American Telegraph and Tele- phone company President Wilson signed the bill which gives him authority to take over the telegraph and telephone systems of the United States whenever in his discretion action of that kind is deemed expedient
 Of course there was none other than sentimental significance in the coinci- dence trat the seventy-fifth birthday of the man who has accomplished so much in expa 1ding the telephone system of the United States occurred on the day when President Wilson approved the bill which will make it possible for him to elimi- nate MT. Vail, as for instance under the railroad control act some railroad presi- dents have been eliminated. Yet it IS difficult to see how there can be ade- auate management even under the au ] thority of the government of the tele- phone system of the United States un- 1 less President Vail is retained in au- ! thority He has, it is true, developed some very able subordinates, and it has been one of the distinguishing character | istics of his management of the tele- phone system that he has made wise choice of subordinates, selecting always the right man for the right place-and { has built up an operating and directing force which as a whole has supervision over the entire United States and is not ] surpassed by the operating force of any 1 other public utility or any railroad or any great industry.
 | Already under President Vail the gov 1 ernment has received all of the assist 1 ance of which it has stood in need. The l domestic or private business of the tel ephone company has been subordinateC so that the requirements of the govern
 ment could be met. A great deal O. Ilnouey has been expended to the end that tc1ephonic communication from Washington and especially long-distanca communication can be so perfected as | to enable the government to make sat ;sfactory usc of this service. What can be gained by the taking over of the telephone system of the United Stases c,y the government is difficult to under stand, unless it is felt that government control would eliminate the danger, II | .here should arise any danger Of refusa' of employees to work unless demands fns increased wages and reduced time were met
 A SECOND EXPERIENCE
 When President Wilson takes over the telephone system, President Vail WI. have had a second experience with gov ernment authorities, his first one hav- ing occurred several years ago. When l working out plans that were far reach ling in scope, which had for their purpose the utilization of these telegraph and l telephone wires for facilitating commun!- | cation of Intelligence, President Val
 was informed that the steps he had al ready taken were, in the opinion of the ldepartmenl of justice at Washington, IT violation of the antitrust statute The
 apprehension at Washington was tha' la great monopoly of the wires, both teie-
 phone ana telegraph, was about to p' es. abliShed
 Disagrecing with this opinion, as Pres ident Vail did. he nevertheless yielded e the view of the department of justice
 tore his plans to piece, gave up ms
 purpose of so perfecting telephone and
 telegraph communications that unit
 could be formed which would bring abou'
 economy in the operation of the wires
 gradual reduction in the cost of usina them and in addition the building ur
 of very large expansion of telephone
 service especially in the west
 Now, the very thing which the govern ment authorities a few years ago oo
 iected stc is to be established whenever