Arizona republican., 1919-01-29
CON ROL OF WIRES
 TO CEASE
[RepubIican A. p. Leased Wirel

WASHINGTON. Jan. 2S.-Govern- ment control of telephone and tele- graph properties would end next De- cember 31, under a resolution ordered favorably reported today by the house postoffice committee, by vote of ten to eight Chairman Moon announced that he would present the measure to- morrow and ask for a rule to give it right of way.
 The resolution made no mention Of cable properties and that phase of the service was discussed at the meeting 1 of the committed Members later X-
 pressed varying opinions as to the ef- 1 feet of the legislation on federal control | of those properties, which was assumed
 by presidential proclamation last No ! Vemher. under the authority given in 1 the original wire control resolution passed by congress last July 16. Chairman Moon, said the new legis-
 lation would not affect the original
 law, insofar as it applied to cable properties, control of which would have
 to be relinquished with the issuing of
 a proclamation by the president, an
 nouncing the signing of treaty of peace
 nd it's ratification. Other members expressed a differ
 ent view, based upon the fact that the
 cable properties were controlld by the telegraph companies. They thought
 control of the cables would be auto
 matically extended. There were still other committeeman who believed the question would have to be settled in ) the courts.
 ; To Appraise Companies. As introduced by Chairman Moon. the resolution authorized the postmast- CT general 10 negotiate contracts for s the purchase of telephone companies . and to have an appraisement made of
 the telegraph properties, but these pro visions were stricken out by the com ' mittee. Mir. Burleson and other pro- { ponents of the legislation insisted that Q the purpose was to extend the period | of control, and not to bring about gov . ernment ownership.
 0 On the final vote as announced by il the committee, three democrats joined | with seven republicans to end tine '. period of control on December 31, and
 seven democrats and one prohibition h ist opposed it, as they desired exten- Ii sion for a longer period. The vote
 follows:
 For: Republicans-Steen Min |, nesota; Madden, Illinois: Grist, Penn a ! sylvania; Copley. Illinois; Paige Mas n. sachusetts; Woodward, West Virginia; Il Ramsey, Iowa..
 e Democrats-Belt of Georgia; Hol-
 land, Virginia; Black, Texas-3
 Total-10.
 e Against: Democrats-Moon, Tennes- ' see; Sterling, Pennsylvania; Oliver, - New York: Rouse, Kentucky. Black n mon, Alabama; Beakes. Michigan. and e Ayers, Kansas.
 -el Prohibitionists-R Randall, California, n l-1
 Total-S.
 l. Wants Longer Period r. Mir. BurleSon favored a longer period es of government control than next De it cember 20, date suggested while he S, was before the committee He said a the danger" would be that congress ;r would have been in session but d l. month, and declared that he regarded
 the question as one of the greatest i'm ,s portance, because manufacturers and ,t others must have proper service. Ig in order to develop their business. = The postmaster general declared that 10 if he wished to insure government n ownership, he would turn back the sys-
 tems at once, but added that he m thought the interest of She business ,p p men should be looked after While MT. Burleson was on the
 
 into the record a letter from George
 G. Ward, vice president of the Com CT mercial Cable company, to the post IS master general dated January 25. '.' which said the British government es forbids our placing thD Commercial O0' Cable company or its cables under the CT control of it's competitor, the Western Is. Union Telegraph company" to Publish Burleson Reply On The postoffice department tonight l. made public q copy of MT. Burleson S IS. reply to Mir. Ward, in which he said: ed Tt seems only necessary to state f. that the English government is exer- 0o cising control over the property of and he persons connected with the Commer of cial Cable company, located in the IT, British possessions. And under the
 joint resolution of congress this gov ad ernment, through the postmaster gen nc eral, is controlling the operation of the a, cable properties within it's jurisdiction oa You have been relieved by me oi o all duties affecting the operation ot cables of your company. so far as the
 jurisdiction of this government is con
 cerned, over the cables for the Com. = mercial Cable company. I have no in O. structions to issue to you in regard tC D. any requirements that the British gov en ernment may require of you as an of he ficer of the Commercial company as IT. corporation, and relating to the prop nd erty of the company or the conduct o to- its officials or agents located an.
 operating in the British possessions le- and with respect to which that gov the ernment has assumed control .0 -O- r4b CLEARING LIP MEXICO