The Washington times., 1918-06-22
TELEPHONE RATES
ARE NOT TO co Up
TILL FACTS ARE IN
CONTINUED from First Page.)


on the telephone company TO present
considerable more evidence that II
ought TO have the Increase II is so
earnestly seeking.
II the Developments show that the ex-
perts are right in their conclusions that
the telephone company. can greatly de-
crease its cost of operation here by in
Stalling aUtoTnaucs.. at the same time
giving an improved service. then the
commission may not remain OF the same
opinion II once was.
Prof. Z. b. Rosa one OF the chief as
sistants to the director Of the bureau.
DR.. +. A Wolf. p. c. Agnew. and B. S.
Macomber. experts who have been study
ing telephone questions for a long time,
and who have figured in the telephone
fight here. spent an hour with Commits
sioner BrOwnlow going over the facts
that have been accumulated by them.
They stated their preparedness to pre-
sent the facts they have. but indicated
that the telephone company has express
ed a willingness 10 cooperate with them
In furnishing data as to the respective
efficiency NJ the system, used here, and
the automatic stem, including costs OF
operation and sr facts. Should a more
eHtende dinves a..tion be desired by he
Utilities Commission the experts wanted
more time.
Prof. Rosa declared that the bureau.
as represented b. him, was not seeking
fight with the telephone company. its
millions of money and lawyers. but that
IL the company sincerely desired Co
operation in obtaining all facts the ex-
perts were willing.
would Avoid Injured.
The attitude OF the bureau is that
telephone communication represents q
partnership between the telephone
company and the public and that the
relations between the partners should
be conducted in an amicabIe manner
that neither side might be done in
jury. The Bureau OF Standards was
created to give to the public the best
standards in all sort OF instruments.
and the wish of experts is to obtain
all possible facts.
An accounting by the telephone
company as to its business, cost Of
operation, expenditures and expert
ences in the use Of modern and other
equipment would be welcome to the
experts, DR.. Rosa said. The opening
up OF its methods Of operations to the
experts will take some time, and that
is why postponement OF the hearing
has been suggested.
Regarding complete investigation as
sure to take much time the telephone
company persists in urging the UtiIi-
ties Commission to grant a temporary
increase in rates here, pending the
more complete Investigations which
the commission is known to contem-
plate
Important New Data.
The fact that the commission is not
as satisfied as it once was that the
company should have what IL asks for
was regarded today as certain evil
dence that additional light that is
expected from various sources is re-
garded by the commission as impor-
tant-
The Bureau experts are prepared 10
present startling figures showing be-
yond question that automatic equip
ment. which can be procured prompt
ly, despite contrary assertions by
the company, would undoubtedly
greatly lessen the operating costs of
the local company, to an extent, too,
that would eliminate a possible in
crease of rates.
The facts will also bring out the
persistent policy Of the Bell officials
to minimize automatic equipment,
and to retain the manual system even
to the point OF junking automatic
whenever that company
purchases independent lines operated
on an automatic basis. The reasons
for this are practically sure to come
to light along with the other in
Representatives of all the citizens |
of the District will to-
night confer with the bureau ex-
perts.