The Washington herald., 1918-07-02
WIRE CONTROL
TAKES SHAPE
SUDDENLY
Wilson's Request Meets
Quick Action; House
Stays for Bill.
PLAN OF CONTROL
SAME AS FOR RAILS
Government Operation and
Direction Of Leased Prop
erty Expected.
COMMITTEE MEETS TODAY;
PROMPT REPORT PROBABLE
Opposition in Houses viii Be Neg
hgible. Indications Point.
War Necessity"
PLAN OF CONTROL
SAME AS FOR RAILS
COMMITTEE MEETS TODAY;
PROMPT REPORT PROBABLE E

President Wilson yesterday ask
ed Congress to give him authority
to take over the control Of all the
telegraph, telephone, cable and
radio systems in the United States.
The plan of control viii be the
same as that followed in the op-
Grafton of the railroads. Postmas-
ter General Burleson viii be
named Director General of Com
munication and all the business of
the wire companies win be operat-
ed as part OF the postal system.
Speedy compliance with the
Presidents request by Congress is
looked for. In both Houses SEN
tirnent generally is IN favor of
prompt action on the resolution to
authorize Federal control, even to
the extent of abandoning plans for
the 3o-day recess, if necessary.
President Supported.
The House committee on Inter-
state Commerce to whom the Presi-
dent addressed his communication
urging the grant of power got
down to business as soon a. the
Presidents letter was received The
committee met In executive session
to go over the terms of the letters,
and to consider letters from POST
master General Burleson, Secretary
Baker, and Secretary Daniels. all of
whom supported the President in his
view that the telegraph and tele-
phone lines should be taken over as
a military necessity.
The committee Il to meet again
tomorrow. and 1t 10 possible that
favorable action on the enabling
resolution will be reported to the
House within two or three days. 1t
Is predicted that opposition in either
house viii be negligible
The Presidents action was forced
by the calling OF the strike on the
Western Union lines, which, depart
mental oflcials regarded as highly
prejudicial to the governments war
business. Although there have been
suggestions from time to time that
the government should assume opera
tion Of the lines Of communication
In time of war, the threat of q strike
has accentuated this demand Neith-
er the President nor those associat-
ed with him in the conduct Of the
war Is ready to face the consequen-
ces Of interruption Of trafac on the
wire systems while the war is on.
Properties worth $4,000 900 900
Under the plan of control worked
out by administration officials, only
the operation and direction of the
wire companies will be taken over
by the government The physical
properties of the companies will re-
main unimpaired. Tha Postoffice
Department has estimated that these
properties are worth between $12,-
o0o.0o0.00o and $4,000. 100000. The
government will pay q rental to the
companies for the use of the prop
critics in the same manner as the
railroad owners are compensated for
the use of the railroad property. The
department. has estimated that, af-
ter this rental is paid. there will be
left to the government q surplus Of
approximately Ss0,000,000
The measure favored by the Pres
ident Is the resolution introduced
last Thursday by Representative
James B. Aswel1, Of louisiana
This measure is likely to follow
the lines of the grant Of authority
for the taking over Of the railroads.
After the roads had been seized
Congress passed the Railroad Ad-
mintstration Act. which fixed the
basis OF compensation, the methods
Of operation and the time of return
to their owners. The same policy
win be pursued in the matter of
the wire systems. il is understood.
Agreement General
The support given by the Admins
tration to the proposal to take over
control Of the wire systems Is fndi-
Gated by the fact that before Mr.. As
wen introduced his resolution, he
went to the White House and laid the
matter before the President, who gave
u his unqualified endorsement The
President then referred Mr.. Aswell to
Postmaster General Burleson, who
had made considerable study Of the
methods Of operation In foreign coun-
tries and had compiled Q great deal
Of data showing how the systems
could be operated IN this country.
The day following the introduction
Of the resolution, Mr.. Burleson wrote
TO Representative Sims, chairman OF
the House Committee on Interstate
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