The Washington times., 1918-07-15
WIRE BILL GIVES
I j. S CONTROL OF
/ CAPITAL PHONES
The wire control bill was
signed by the presiding officers
Of the Senate and House today
and sent to the President FOR
his signature.

ms oABuaCufes
Commissioner Brownlow. chairman OF
me District Public Utilities Commission.
said today thatSthe postponed hearing
on proposed increased telephone rates
nay yet be held on July. 3, notwithstand-
Ag the probability that the Government
, = to take over the control The officials
OF the local Bell interests may desire
to submit figures in reply to those re-
corded by the experts Of the Federal
Bureau Of Standards.
In any event. however. by tomorrow
night. the vast telephone, telegraph.
cable. and wireless Of the United States
VIII be under control Of President VIII
son, IL there be no delay in his signing
tbs bi1 which passed the Senate at
O'Clock Saturday night, having previous
~ passed the House. The Senate vote
was IS for and Is against, all the ad-
verse votes being cast by Republicans
PRECEDENT VIII Sign TonOFrOw.
The President Is expected to sign the
bin tomorrow. It win 80 to him dur
ing the day with the signatures Of the
>Vice President and Speaker Clark
Postmaster General Burieson will be
given charge Of the entire wire system,
according to general understanding
among Government officials.
Mr.. Burieson Il known to be ready TO
assume direction, and the phones OF the
District WIN. OF course, be included in
Plans have been forming for many
Feelzs In the Postoffice Department for
The organization Of a force OF experts to
direct the phone system Data have
Seen gathered,s and men selected tenta-
lively from among the eountry's tele-
phone specialists to be drafted" much
as Secretary McAdoo called railroad men
70 assist him in organizing the Railroad
Administration
Absolutely no details win be discussed
by. the Postonice Department prior to
the signing Of the bill But II Is known
that Il r. almost certain that before the
week ends the phones Of the District VIII
be an adjunct Of the Postofice Depart
me1E
LEGAL Situation ChaageG.
The entire situation with reference
, 70 the installation Of automatic or
Bemi-automatic telephones here is
changed By the enactment of the wire
control Law. The hearing before the
Public Utilities Commission, which
was adjourned to July %, II held
again, win be from a different angle.
Op 70 this time Il has concerned the
operation Of the phone system by the
local branch OF the Bell phone inter
ests. After this, hearings viii relate
ITO the throwing of light on the best
Aourse to be followed by the Postof-
Department in its internal policy.
Yhile officials refuse to comment,
known positively that Mr.. Burle-
has favored, for the past six
this, the installation Of the auto
tc 10 replace the manual system
" used exclusively by the Bell in
kerests.
Mr.. Burieson has declared the Post
office Department can take over the
phones and operate them without In
creasing rates and give better service
than the District now Is getting. He
has 80 declared to the District Public
Utilities Commission, and his state
ments to that effect are on the records
OF the House at the Capitol in com
mittee reports.
he Is known TO favor the auto
matte, as also does David ]. Lewis,
former Congressman from Maryland,
now a member OF the Federal Tariff
Commission
Mr.. Lewis Is mentioned as one Of the
men Mr.. Burleson may call to his as
sistance for administration
To Make Consolidation.
II is expected that the method Of
consolidation OF Offices in large cities
having both the manual and auto
matte systems will be adopted that
Nras adopted by Secretary McAdoo as
10 railways. Economies viii thus be
erected, It is claimed.