The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1919-04-30
TO HAND BACK
CABLE LINES FRIDAY;
Phone Lines LATER
Burleson Issues Order by Direction of
President Wilson \ -.
BACK TO FORMER OWNERS
Postmaster General Reiteratees State.
ment Concerning Return of the
Wires.

.' wires.
Washington, April 29.-Control and
operation of all American cable sys-
TENS, taken over by the government
last November, will revert to their
private owners at midnight Friday.
Postmaster General Burleson, to-
whom President Wilson in his procla-
nation of last November 2 delegated
the control of the marine cable lines,
today issued an order providing for
the return Of the properties in accord
ance with his statement of yesterday
announcing that he had made such a
recommendation to the President. The
order, which was issued by direction
of President Wilson, follows:
"The marine cable systems of the
United States, and every part thereof,
including all equipment and appurte-
nances thereto whatsoever, and all
material and supplies, the possession,
control, supervision and operation of
which was assumed by the President
by his proclamation of the I'd day of
November, 1918, to be exercised by
and through the Postmaster General,
Albert S. Burleson, are hereby return
ed to their respective owners, man.
ageres, boards of directors or receev-
ers to take effect on midnight, May
; 2, 1919.
:" Representatives of the Postmaster
General now operating said properties
will take immediate steps to carry
this order into effect"
RSones and Telegraphs.
The Postmaster General, in making
public the formal order, issued a
statement reiterating his announce
ment of yesterday that the telephone
and telegraph lines, saken over last
July, would be returned as soon as
legislation could be obtained from
Congress safeguarding the interests
of the owners of the lines. Mr.. Bur-
Lesson emphasized that his views as
to the wisdom of government owner
ship of the land communication lines
had undergone no change, but as it
was apparent these views were not
shared by the new Congress, the only
stey left was to return the systems.
In Midst of Controversies.
Government control of the cable
lines has been exercised in the midst
of controversies, legal action to re-
strain the Postmaster General from
seizing their lines having been filed
in New York federal court by the
Commercial Gable and the CONNER
cial Pacific Gable companies, who as
serted that while the presidential
proclamation taking over the lines
was signed November 2, the lctual
seizure was made November u, five
days after the signing of the armis-
tice, when the companies contended nc
need for such action existed. The New
York courts refused to issue the re-
straining order and appeal was taken
to the United States Supreme Court
Arguments have been heard by the
Supreme Court on the appeal and a
decision is pending. Court officials
the plaintiffs companies might seek
an agreement with the government to
have the case dismissed
Approval by the President Of Post
master General Burleson's recommen-
dations that the telegraph and tele-
phone lines be returned as soon as
necessary Legislation be enacted was
announced during the course Of the
day at the White House. In the pend
ing legal controversy before the Su-
preme Court to restrain the Post
master General from increasing in
trastate telephone and telegraph rates
permission was given by the court to-
day to hear arguments on appeals
from Kansas and Illinois next Mon
day, when arguments will be heard
also on cases from South Dakota and
Massachusetts.
ENJOYABLE Fishing PARTY At Rrewinp.