Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1919-01-23
SENATOR'S ! ( ARE
! Jl|lP'|l||l|lI ON
| Mr.. ! B|l|l|RLESON
Criticised for Taking Over Control
of Telephones and Tele-
graphs.
MIGHT BETTER !: r LEFT UNDONE
Minnesota Warehouse Commission
er Also Puts in His Oar
on Question.
BY George q. Authier

BY George b.. Authler
& Washington. Jan. 23.----A series Of
controversies. involving clashes be.
tween Representative Steenerson and
Representative Moon of Tennessee and
verbal fireworks in which both c. E.
Elmquist of st. Paul, president of the
National Association of State Railway
commissioners, and Fred w. Putnam OF
the Minnesota Railroad and Warehouse
commission figured, characterized the
first session today of the hearing be.
fore the house committee on postof,
fices, foR legislation to extend the time
Of government operation of wire com.
munication and looking forward to.
ward government ownership.
Time and again Mr. Icon showed
what other members Of the committed
said was unreasonable prejudice to.
ward any argument which seemed like
opposition to the scheme of Postrnis-
ter General Burleson, who is urging
the enactment of the legislation before
the committee.
Legislation Is Opposed
Bot, Mr.. Islflls ssfist and MIR. Putnar,
opposed the Legislation and argued that
it not only WAS perversion of the irteil.
ton Of congress In authorizing govern.
iment control of wire sgrvice merely MS
a war measure, but that government
operation had proved to be tierHoralizi:le
to the service ard the rates.
-.f .a
Commissioner Putnam created a sen,
sation When he told the committee that
but for the interference of Postmaster
General Burleson, the telephone strike
lin the twin cities would have been
settled. Mr.. Putnam said he saw the
telegram sent by MIR. Burleson which
prevented a settlements of the strike.
The local managers of the compa-
mics and the strikers had agreed upon
a settlement. said MFR. Putnam, (which
included returning strikers to employ
OF the companies. Before that agree
ment was consummated the managers
of the companies received a. telegram
from Mr.. Burleson, which i saw order
dering them not 10 receive back any
"a hours. At that time the strikers
! had been out over a month. 4
Testimony Is Questioned
Mr.. Putnam's testimony upon this
was questioned by Mr.. Moon and 9th
ers on the committee who are favor
able to the postmaster generals pro
posals. TAey tried by cross axamina
ton to break down the statement, but
1T was adhered to by Mr., Putnam.
Detailed statistics regarding the np
GRAFTON of local telephone companies
were furnished the committee by Mr.
Putnam after Mr.. Moon had showed
his unwillingness to have them go intc
the record on the ground that they
were Irrelevant. Mr.. Steenerson in
sisted that these facts bore directly
upon the hearing because government
Ownership OF the lines would affect
these companies which have connec
/ tions with the larger concerns.
It was brought out in the hearing
that IN eight states legal proceedings
have been Instituted to prevent the
enforcement Of the new rates promul
gated by the postmaster general
These states include Minnesota, iii
nois. Nebraska, West Virginia, ohit
New Jersey, Michigan, Wisconsin ans
Alabama,
The fact that all these state Of
ficials are antagonistfc to this legis
llation should be clearly understood
said Representative Moon. ..as II al
Ifects the credibility 81 the testimony
steenerson Voices Protest
does not seem TO me that NJ
fought to reflect on them, {. said Mr.
steenerson, aand I protest against IT.
At seerns to me we should 3 exclain,
| ed Mr.. Noon, and that = why I d
lit.''
BY argumentatIYe questions, MI
Moon souehf to show during the tei
tinony q AIr. Elnquist that central
lied control IN Washington of the tels
ph01le service Of ~ country woul
4 3result nj better service and Improve
4 eond ditions
Cont tapued