The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-02
U.S.. IS NOT READY TO.
GIVE UP LAND WIRES
Burleson Refuses Mackay's De-
mand, Declaring Legisla-
ton Is Necessary.
MUST NOT DISCRIMINATE
Chamber Of Commerce Adopts
Resolution Urging Return
Of Properties at Once.

Postmaster General Burleson has re
fused the demand of Clarence H.
Mackay, former president OF the Postal
Telegraph Company. that the company's
land lines be returned to corporation
control without further delay. Mr.. Bur-
leson's refusal. made yesterday, was
based on the contention that operation
OF part of tho nations telegraph system
by private persons while the remainder
was under Government operation would
result In discrimination. Control of the
cables owned by the Commercial Cable
Company which Ii closely affiliated
with the Postal. and OF which Mr..
Mackay also was president prior to their
seizure by the Government, will be re-
turned to the corporation at midnight
tonight Before Mr.. Burleson's tele-
graphic refusal to hand over the opera
tion of the Postal lines was received
here yesterday afternoon, the Now York
Chamber of Commerce at it's regular
monthly meeting. passed resolutions up
holding Mr.. Mackay's position.
Burleson Answers Mackay.
Postmaster-General Burleson's reply
TO Mr.. Mackay was as follows
Replying to your telegram of the
a0th. you are advised that the public in
terest requires that the telegraph and
telephone systems now being operated
under Government control all be han
died as one proposition until Congress
takes some action with respect to them.
ITO do as you request would result In
the wires under Government control be-
ing in competition with a private cor
porauon. and leaving the burden Of CIV
ing to the public under a comprehen-
siye schedule of rates nation wide
telegraph service serving the unproflt-
able territory as well as the profitable.
This would enable your corporation
to take the profitable business and con-
tinue to disregard the equally important
but more costly service for the entire
country.
THE interest OF the public service
must be guarded before private inter
est can be considered. The business OF
your company Is in no way jeopardised
by continued Government control, and
under no circumstances will be"
At the offices OF the Postal Telegraph
Company, 253 broadway. 1t was said
that Mr.. Mackay would renew his de-
mand on the Postmaster-General by
wire to-day,
Mackay ConEratulates stan.
In anticipation of the return of the
transatlantic cables to his company Mr.
Mackay issued the following statement
in the afternoon:
The control of the American cable
lines will be relinquished by Postmas
ter-General Burleson at midnight to
night Clarence II, Mackay. the presi
dent OF the Commercial Cable Company
who resumes the position from which
Postmaster-General Burleson removed
him last December, viii send out the fol
lowing message to the stan of that com
pany to-day:
The attempted control of our cabl,
system by Mr.. Carlton of the Western
Union, appointed for that purpose b!
Postmaster General Burleson, ends OF
paper tonight. The purpose was Il
carry out Mr.. Vails idea of monopol,
of all wire communications. The at
tempt has failed ANONYMOUSLY. ! con
graduate the stan of the Commercial
Cable Company on the utter defeat o
Messrs. Burleson. Vail and Carlton.
CLARENCE Fl. MAckAY.
President the Commercial Cable Com
pany.'
The control OF all the American cabl
lines which was assumed by Postmaster
General Burleson November Is. 1918
1--WE days after the armistice was signed
will Mt midnight tonight be turne,
back to the cable companies.
Gable Companies Involved.
THE companies involved are the Com
merciai Gable Company, which own
five transatlantic cables from New Yorl
via Canada to England, Azores an
France. and also a cable from New
York to Cuba; the Commercial Pacih
~. Ia ha
tween San Francisco and the Far East
the Western Union Telegraph Company
which leases eight Atlantic cables be
tween New York and Europe. four o
which cables are now and have beel
nearly a year past out of operation, an
the Central and South American Tele
graph Company, which owns a system
OF cables from New York via Cuba Z
Panama and South America"
There will be no change in the opera
ton of the commercial cable lines as
result of the transition from Government
to private operation. Mr.. Mackay SAID
because the Post Office Department ha
not been able to inaugurate changes o
any kind and the cables are run as the
were before the Postmaster-G General too
control
Darwin p. Kingsley. president OF tn
New York Life Insurance Company. In
PRODUCED a resolution at the Chamber O
Commerce meeting calling on the Post
master General to grant the demands @
the former Postal Telegraph president
Resolution Makes Demand.
The resolution was passed in the fol
lowing form:
Whereas there has been a marke
deterioration in the character Of servic
rendered since the Government took owe