El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-03-01
POSTAL FIGHTS
WIRE CONTROL
Says Burleson CrUshes
Completion, Favoring
Bell and Western Union.

New York. March IA new phase
Of the fight Of the Postal Telegraph
and Gable company against govern
ment control developed today with the
uublfcat On by the Postal company OF
correspondence with Z. y. Bethel,
chairman Of the operating board Of
the United States telephone and teie-
graph administration. The first let
ter was from 1Ir. Bethel February 20.
ordering the Postal company to un-
dertaIze no construction work Of q
competitive character without sub
hitting IL through the regular chan
uels for the approval OF the postmas-
ter general
To this. the vice president OF the
Postal. C. P. Bruch. replied:
DO T correctly understand your let
fer Of February 20 as meaning that
The Postal Telegraph and Cable COM
nrny shall not build any new lines or
string any new wires which would ne
in com0etftiou with the Western
Union Telegraph company or the
American Telephone and Telegraph
COMPANY without first submitting
such competitive work for the ap-
prevail of the postmaster general
And that our application 10 be al
lowed 10 build such lines or string
such wires in competition with the
western Union or American Telephone
companies must pass through your
board. Of which three OF the four OF
its members ere Western Union or
American Telephone officials
Instructions Repeated
1Fr. Bethel replied. in a letter Of
February Is. 10 president Clarence H
1Iackay. Of the Postal
Answering Mr. BVuch's letter or
February IS. beg TO say that your
company is expected TO obey the in
structiOns contained in my letter OF
February %. which, as indicated. were
issued by order Of the postmaster
general"
Attempt to sfIne Competition.
In connection with these letters.
VIM J. DeeEan. the secretary Of the
1Icckay companies said:
This Is the most bare faced and
high handed attempt that has yet
been made TO stop the Postal Tele-
graph and Gable company from com
DetinE with the Western Union and
Bell companies Here you have Ben
telephone official representing com
Danv with which we are competing
for long distance telephone service,
ordering US to make no extensions OF
our lines in competition with the
western Union OF the Bell Telephone
COMPANY unless We first refer such
extensions TO his board, on which
three Of the four members are Bel
Telephone and Western Union Off
cials. And this the Bell company is
SLOWED 10 do under authority from
postmaster general Burleson-
I'm the south and southwest and on
the Pacific coast. we are giving an
extensive long distance telephone ser
vice in COM petition with the Bell Tel
enhone company. This order OF Mr..
Bethel. by authority Of the postmas-
ter general. means that IL we wish TO
extend that long distance telephone
service in competition with the Bell
Telephone company. we must apply Of
this Bell Telephone-Western Union
Burleson operating board. And what
chance DO YOU suppose we would have
with that board sitting IN judgment
on extensions which we propose TO
make in competition with the Bell
Telephoue2
Urges Return OF Lines. j
This is not only putting our busl-
ness in the hands Of our competitors Z
with a vengeance, but II is the boldest (
attempt that has yet been made to
crush all telegraph and telephone /
competition in this country. The lines
should be returned TO the companies l
Immediately. before the whole gov ]
eminent administration OF the tele- I
graphs and telephones develops into 4
q national scandal"