Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-04-17
WIRE COMPANIES
TO Be RESTORED
FIRST ACT OF CONGRESS WILLIE
TO END GOVERNMENT
CONTROL.
BuRLEsoN TO BE SEPARATED
FROM HIS SEIZED PETS
Measure Considered Certain Of Speedy
Passage Thru Both Houses-Oemo
cratic Friends OF Burleson viii Re.
sent Notwithstanding Of Govern
n,snt Stewardship to Be Esaeted.
tBy Il. G.. Dousherty.l


move OF the extra session OF congress
will De 10 rush thru bill terminal
Ing ut once the federal control of the
telephone. telegraph and cable lines.
prominent republican leaders in the
house asserted today.
Representative STEVENSON, of Min
nesota. selected by the republican
caucus some weeks ago 10 be chairman
vi the postoffice and post roads COM
mittee, said he had decided on the
form of the bill which he will pro-
pose. 1t was learned that this tenta-
tive draft has already been submitted
to the party leaders in the house, and
meets with their approval. The major
!ty leader, Representative Mondell. Of
Wyoming, promised Mr.. Stevenson
that the house would take up his bill
Immediately after converting.
AS approved now the bill is very
brief. The first section directs the
government TO release the wires and
cables, turning them back to the pri-
vate owners Cor operation at once.
The second section has u touch of the
investigation fever which possesses
SO many members (for that matter OF
both parties. tho Of course 1t Ia not
SO outspoken among the democrats)
OF both houses Of congress. 1t calls
on the president for detailed report
of the management OF the properties
by Postmaster General Burleson.
This section seeks information as to
contracts made with the companies
:or their compensation during the per-
lod of government control, as well as
other details OF the government opera
ton.
1t was decided by leaders today not
to handicap :his bill, which they con-
slider is assured of d big majority in
10th houses, with a third section which
had been Under discussion. This
would have created u joint congress
sional committee to audit the wire
accounts of the post office department.
Such q section, unless eliminated, OF
course. would undoubtedly lead to
violent resistance in the senate by
those democrats who always stand by
the administration.
All the light that could possibly be
thrown on the government operation
Of the wires by this section, 1t is
pointed out, will be thrown later by
the vigorous efforts to dislodge MI.
Burleson, p which many democrats
are expected to join. But by separat-
ing it from this bill the passage of the
measure terminating government con-
troll will be obtained, it is thought,
much sooner than if two fights are
combined in the one BILL.
Opposition Expected.
Vigorous opposition TO the bin end
ing government control OF the wires IS
to be expected from such supporters
of Mr.. Burleson as Judge Moon, who
was chairman OF the postoffice COM
mittee in the last house. 1t was
Judge Moon who introduced the reso-
luton in last congress extending the
wire control indefinitely and authoriz-
ing the postmaster general to nsgoti-
ate the purchase of the telegraph lines.
But even with democratic control the
republican leade" points out, it was
impossible for Judge Moon to get the
house to consider his resolution even
after he modified it to meet some OF
the objections.
From this--As well as many frank
assurances from members on the other
side of the political aile-the repub-
lcan leaders are counting on many
democratic votes both IN the house
and senate, 70 support this bill. There
are democrats as we'll as republicans
who do not want to give Mr. Burieson
any further opportunity to work out
further theories of Standardization or
to make any further increases in rates.
It is estimated that the last advance
made by Mr.. Burleson will cost the
public about 100000, 900 a year.
Pay For Old Clothes.
If any Iowa boys vino reported to
Camp Dodge were compelled to wear
their civilian clothes for a long period,
because of the absence OF army uni
forms due to the slowness of manufac-
ture at the outbreak Of the war. they
are entitled to pay for new clothing
according to recommendation SUD-
mitted to the war department by the
Judge advocate general. The recon-
mendation was made in a ruling on
the claim of Walter G. Anderson, who
was not furnished with army clothing
at Camp Dodge for period of six
months during which time he had TO
wear his civilian Sarp He claimed
that the wear Of the garments was
such that they were total loss, ana
the recomme 1dation of the army
nudge advocate is that he be given the
value Of the citizens clothing damaged
by wear and ieDr thru no fault OF IN"
soldier" Similar cases, oil course, VIII
be decided in the same way.
A gun has been devised for fighting
forest fires.