Evening star., 1918-02-27
SOON To GIVE To
SENATE HIS VIEWS
0NPHONE QUESTION
Postmaster General to Pre-
sent Departments Attitude
on Government Ownership.
AUTOMATIC TELEPHONES
DISCUSSED BY EXPERTS
No Recession by Mr.. Burleson From
Proposition to Take Over System
in the District.

Proposition to Take Over System
in the District.
Postmaster General Burleson is ex-
pected within four or five days to trans
NIT to the Senate the Post Office De-
partment's attitude toward government
ownership of telephones, in answer to
the resolution of Senator King asking
for information relative to the proposal
made to the Public Utilities Commission
that the Post Office Department run the
local telephone system.
It is probable that the answer OF the
Postmaster General to the King resolu-
tion will not be presented to the Senate
before Monday.
= The reply to Senator King is being
prepared by experts of the Post once
Department and will be a comprehen-
sive report it is understood. of the
views of the Postmaster General on
government ownership of telephones and
telegfaphs-
To Discuss Automatic Phones.
Representatives of the Post Office
Department met with experts of the
bureau of standards today to discuss
the question of automatic telephones
The bureau of standards has inquired
into the practicability of the automatic
telephone exchange system.
There will be no recession from the
stand taken by the Postmaster Cen
er1l when, to the utilities commission
last Saturday. he sent the message that
"if he is given authority, he can take
over the entire District of Columb bia
telephone service and operate 1t with
out any increase in charges to the
subscriber and without reducing en-
ployes' salaries, and can pay for it out
of the surplus revenues of the postal
service"
The report will include general
survey of the telephone situation in
viii include history of the contro-
versy between the telephone company
and the Post Office Department as to
the automatic telephones which are
installed throughout the department is
not known. but it is regarded as high
ly probable that this matter will be
touched upon
II automatic pasass Aaasbssa seneral-
the war. 1t is declared by officials. there
would have been no trouble in Wash
ington when wartime conditions hit the
city and tho telephone company.
Automatics Installed Here.
Several years ago the Post Office De-
partment had installed in the various
od1ceA including the city post Office, a
system OF automatic phones.
Later the telephone interests secured
the necessary patents to duplicate the
automatic phones already in use in the
Post Office Department. The new in
struments were installed. and the Post
Ofhce Department was offered in the
neighborhood of $4,000 for the old au-
tomato instruments.
and the Post Office Department, includ-
ing the city post Office, now has two
sets of automatic phones in every Of
fiee. both connected and both in active
1t is not expected that Postmaster
General Burleson will answer especial
" the second part of the King resolu-
tion, which called upon Mr.. Burleson
nation which he may possess authoriZ-
ing him to make such, or any, propo-
sition looking to the taking over Of
and operation by the government of
the telephone system"
1t is known that the Post Office De-
partment does not regard itself as
having needed any authorization to go
before the Public Utilities Commission
and make the plain declaration of its
opinion that. II given authority, it
could run the local telephone system
without any increase in rates."
The King resolution, it is pointed out
asked that "the Postmaster General be
directed to transmit to the Senate the
proposition made by him to the Chesa-
peake and Potomac Telephone Com
pAny-
City Postmaster Chance, who ap-
peared before the Public Utilities Com
mission, did not make the proposition
III the telephone company, it was point
ed out today, but made it to the Public
Utilities Commission.
Senator Smoot Predicts No Action.
While the proposal that the govern
ment shall operate the District tele-
phone system during the war is meet
ing with considerable approval among
members Of the Senate, particularly
those who favor government owner
ship and operation of public utilities
the prediction was made today by Sena-
tor Smoot and others that nothing
would be done by Congress in regard to
the proposition.
Senator Poindexter of Washington an
nounced that he would support the plan
for government operation of the telephone
system here
Efforts will be made in the House to-
morrow to have the Johnson bill, author
ising the Post Office Department to take
over and operate the local telephones
transferred from the jurisdiction of the
House District committee to the House
committee on post offices and post roads.
Postmaster General Burleson was at
the Capitol yesterday. 1t is believed
that this transfer is proposed to meet
his wishes. Chairman Moon of the
post office committee today notified
IN 80 II 81.