The Mena weekly star., 1919-05-22
WIRE HEADS ASK ID AGAIN CONTROL
Telephone and Telegraph Presidents Out in Open Letter to Congress- Deficit Large and Increasing
 Credit May Be Impaired.

Theo N. Vail and G. W. Robinson, presidents respectively of the Amer ican Telephone and Telegraph Com pany and of the United States Inde- pendent Telephone Association, have issued an open letter to the United States Senate and the House of Rep resentaives. The general tenor of the communication points out the need of the early release of the wire systems to the end that normal conditions and service be brought about. The letter follows:
 Washington, May 19, 1919. "To the Members of the Senate and
 House of Representatives;
 "On midnight, July 31, 1918, under the authority of congress for war pur- poses, the President took supervision possession, control and operation of the telephone systems of the country, and has since operated them.
 "The war has practically ceased; the public press is strongly demand ing; the general public and the owners of the telephone properties are urging that they be returned as speedily as possible that former conditions may be restored and more satisfactory service afforded.
 The President and the Postmaster General have announced that this will be done as soon as adequate arrange ments be provided for receiving and advantageously operating them. It remains for congress to enact such legislation as speedily as possible.
 The expenses of these systems have largely increased during the past year, for wages alone at the rate of more than $20,000,000 per annum. This was inevitable and necessary by reason of larger proportionate in creases by the railroads and industries of the country. The revenues are in- adequate to take care of such increases and the deficit of the government on that account to date is large and is steadily increasing. The Postmaster General ordered that steps be taken to secure adequate revenues, but con tentions with the regulatory authori- ties of the states not yet settled, have prevented such adjustments. If such conditions continue, necessarily, the credit of the operating companies will be impaired, proper expenses cannot be met, the best operating forces can not be retained, needed extensions and satisfactory service cannot be pro vided, a deterioration will ensue which in some localities may threaten re- currence to public ownership or op- eration in order to care, even made quately, for public needs. By prompt action, Congress can prevent this con tingency. Just and speedy settle ments should be made for all proper ties taken under the existing law that such balances now in the possession of the government may be restored to assist in the upbuilding and extension public use. The conditions and regu- lations of operation should be clearly defined so as to permit the companies to re-establish and maintain a satis- factory service with reasonable rates without discrimination, and procure the benefit of legitimate competition. The principal operating companies of the United States are vitally interest ed in cooperating with Congress and the officials of the Government to ac- complish these results.
 (Signed) THEO N. VAIL,
 President of American Tel & Telg,
 Go.
 (Signed) G. w. ROBINSON,
 President U. S. Independent Tel,
 Assn.