Evening star., 1918-07-02
PRESIDENT SEEKS
EFFICIENCY IN WAR
Question Back of Request for
Federal Control of Wire
Service.
TO AVOID DELAY IN WORK
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Copyright, 1918, by n. Y. Evening Post Coz
Other considerations besides a
threatened strike are involved In
President Wilson's request of Con-
gress for power to take over the tele-
graph and telephone lines of the coun-
try. The question is largely one of
efficiency in making war, and there is
plenty of evidence that our system OF
communications has been a source of
delay not only to industries at work
multitude Of messages sent and re-
ceived by the government and its
agencies.
Not all the fault has been with the
telegraph companies. The government
for instance. under statute passed
during the civil war, still has prefer
ence over all civilian messages. In
many cases piles of routine messages
have accumulated in telegraph offices
while kilograms of an urgent char
acter involving in some instances mat
ters of life and death have had to wait
to take their turn.
Private Enterprise Considered.
AS has happened in so many indus
tries where government orders have
eaten up three-quarters of the sup
ply, regulation of the remainder has
been necessary to protect civilian de-
mands. But thus far there has been
no effort to care for the telegraph
and included in those necessities, of
course, is communication for private
enterprises engaged in work directly
and indirectly needed to make war.
If an airplane company Is subjected
to telegraph and telephone delays
simply because private companies will
not install new facilities or because
they will not provide sufficient opera
tors to handle messages expeditiously.
the nations program can be injured
just as much as If important commu-
nications from Washington were not
promptly delivered. Then there is an
other and perhaps an even more vital
thing to the effectiveness Of our war ma
chine. which has been affected by the
congestion Of the telegraph wires. and
that Is the nations morale. Unless
there are wires enough to keep the
American people informed at all times
of exactly what is happening in the
war. the German propagandist and
rumor-monger will have things his
own way.
Telegraph Companies Efforts.
: The telegraph companies them
selves have always tried to provide
wires for newspaper messages even
at a loss. Low rates have been
charged in order that all sections of
the United States might be reached
and the entire nation kept abreast
of important domestic and foreign
developments. Lately the situation
has been developing to point whsre
the news supply by telegraph to the
thousands of cities and towns in the
United States has been threatened
for wires. Often, too. telegraph cir
cults have been kept idle by Ahe gov
ernment 'for emergency purposes"
when careful supervision might have
made possible the use OF those IA
cilities in the interval for civilian
needs.
Congress isn't going too hastily,
however, to grant the powers request
ed by the President, for many MEM
bers are wondering whether the coun-
try will not be going from the frying
pan into the fire. For in the control
Of the telegraph and telephone lines
exists the greatest possibilities for
political abuses that have ever been
assembled in a legislative proposal.
Not only is it possible for a republi-
can or democratic supervisor of the
nations communications to discrim-
and by a manipulation of regulations
and other powers harass those publi-
cations into a state of serious en-
barrassment, but the telegraph and tel
ephone wires contain the secrets of
civilian and business life, and pref
udiced and partisan officials could
cause no end OF mischief.
Specific Limitations.
Undoubtedly government operation
would tend to bring economy and
| greater efficiency. but If it is pur-
chased at the expense Of other evils
not known now to private control,
matured consideration of the ques-
ton by Congress is bound to result
in specific limitations as to the exer-
else of the power granted by it.
! There is deep-seated confidence In
| President Wilson in Congress, how
ever. and with political campaign
| approaching members 1eel that Who
ever takes charge of the telegraph
and telephone lines should be an un-
| biased personality. free from parti-
san connections or partisan infiu-
! ences.
/ What the President ought to create
| II he gets power from Congress to
handle the matter Is a director gen.
| eral of telegraph and telephones who
Will not be subseryient to any depart
n,ent or bureau of the government,
bat responsible only to the President
1 Of the United States. There will be
conflicts galore between departments
| Of the government in their demands
1 for telegraph and telephone facilities,
and a system of priorities will have
! to be instituted. This can be euuita-
bly, adjusted only IL the proposed bu-
reau or department of communica-
tions is coordinate with every other
department of the government.
Much Depends on Man in Charge.
The passage OF the measure now
pending in Congress depends largely
on the kind Of man who would take
charge Of the whole business Unless
he Is a person of high standing who
has the confidence Of all political par
ties and the press Of the nation, a
| person preferably who has not been
active in the nations politics, gov
| >rorcaD% onerafion NAV mt r>,,,. a..