Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-01
CONTROL BY BURLEsON
CRITICIZED BY MACKAY
president OF Postal Telegraph Conn
pnny Writes Letter to Mem.
bcrs OF Congress.
CALLED RATE-BoosTlNG PLAN
Declares Wire Jurisdiction by Gov
ernmem Means Western Union Of
hciais Arc Destroying Morale of
His Employees.
lspeclal to Tho rimes.pispa,ch |

His Employees.
lSpecial to Tho Times Dispatch
Ne" YORK, y. T.. Jan. 3i.--Clur-
ence II. Mackay, president Of the Pos
Ia! Telegraph Gable Company. gave
out tonight copy Of Il letter which
he has addressed 10 al! the members OF
Congress in which he urges that there
mas been no reason advanced for the
So'efhinent retaining control of this
ii n., ana telephone lines and urs
ihS Congress To vote their Immediate
return 10 the companies. The letter
says:
realize and respect the responsible
tues Of The member OF CONGRESS- of tho,
United States, and as an American citi-
zen and president Of the Postal rclr-
sIaph cable Company ind the Com
,'l.i' oNuie Company. would earn
csiiy request tnat you consider care
iuiiy the proposed joint resolution
when mas been reported to the House
OF representatives by the committee
70 december ~. 1919. the control OF
the iostinastcr-C;eneral over the tele-
graphs and telephones.
SEE rLAN TO INCREASE
RATES On ALL SERVICES
From The statements made. written
or orally. By Theodore y Vail! OF tho
american Telephone and Telegraph
Company. Newcomb Carlton, OF tho
Western Union Telegraph COMPANY. and
,'"stinaster-Gencra Burleson at the
luton. they have apparently determined
~ their minds that the Postmaster
Genera shall keen control as long as
possibie OF the telegraph and telephone
1 lines. cSncc!ally the latter in order TO
CIV" those companies guaranteed gov.
crnineht compensation and TO finance
Them. and most important OF all 20
increase telephone rates which IN
crease has been ordered throughout the
country.
II therefore. respectfully submit tho
following:
|. Not the slishtes, reason is given
.9r Nr; Burleson continuing control OF
me telegraph and telephone lines to
december 81 1919. They do not need
ny GROWING worse under his manage
iicnt There IS no war necessity FOR
auch continued control. Nothing has
neci done by the Postnustcr-Gcner
since ne TOOK control August J. last
except 10 give high compensation to
inc western Union Telegraph Company
ana disturb the morale Of the stan OF;
The Postal Telegraph Company and at
tempt to raise telegraph rates.
PUBLIC WHSLE COMPETITION
OF COMPANIES RESTORED
The publish wish tclegraph:c COM
petition restored. The public does not
agree With Ny. Bur!eson. in his remarks
1
eliminated. the period for competition
! ~ past; the Western Union wishes to
| advance telegraph rates under the
shield o: Mr. Burieson's control bnt
me Posta! refuses. Meantime the gov
eminent Is losing money daily on lis
ahtccn compensation TO the West
s srn,, mon non, and that should be stopped
sunhiarily The extension of time
! rom the proclamation OF peace TO Dc
ccthner ii. under those circumstances,
| would be Unconstitutional. There is
IA s<tu
! being returned At once tn the two
| companics -,
The above reasons. and still! more
I powerful reasons. pertain TO the cabies
ntermational complications nave
arisen. The record OF The House com.
n Mite l; o" The posi,once Of January
.ihS issued an order containing me
following:
His Ma1e@ty's government does not
aSrec TO either company allowing con
ir"! OF lis stations. STAFF or wS-kinr
IN me United Kingdom. by the other
ron paMy or by any person acting d.
United OF s,a4es on behalf o. the
should DC turned back at once. es
peeiniiy as nothing has been done in
General except to remove officers or
the Commercial Cable Company.
DECLARES THERE rs NO
REASON For HIGH RAT't.
Mr.. Euriesons argument as to
me telephones IS not convincing. He
IS raising telephone rates throughout
The country To an enormous extent
against a storm OF protests and in
Junction salts. he does not claim that
lncFe is any war necessity involved
| The purposes are clear; namely, TO
raise telephone ratcS and finance Grip
pied telephone. companies. How this
can De Justified under the war power
! we .aii TO see. Meantime, telephone
} service is detcriorating rapidly and
| the losses TO the government on guar
] TtEF - n i.1l
company will be enormous.
The companies OF which am pres.
!dent are fully capable OF conducting
! present needs and future extensions
| without any increase in rates. If the
fost-otiice Department should order
an increase in rates is Unjust ifa b le
at this timc). wc shall put those rates
| into effect under protest and shall
allow them TO continue only during
the time OF government control.
LINES SHOULD GO BACK
! TO OWNERS IMMEDIATELY
! In my Judgment the lines should he
turned back to their owners immedi-
aiely. as it is not pleasing or conduc
tive. to good management to have our
! business controlled as 1t Is to-day by
orders of the Postmaster-Gener given
through , our :competitors in business
committee made. up of Union II.
Bethel. of the American Telephone and
Telegraph Company; q. IL. Yorke. or
! the Western Union Telegraph Com
! pany: +. *. Stevenson. of the Amer
, lean Telephone Company, three of them
/ officials OF competitive companies.
! should be authorized to exercise a
! dominance In our affairs.
II submit these views and facts
/ 10 YOU. the representatives in Con-
/ gress of the American people. depend
| ing on your sense of fairness and good
| judgment. ] would earnestly request
that the resolution reported by the
| House Committee on Post Onice and
| Post-Roads be amended so that the
| telegraph and cable lines are turned
back to the companies at once"
/ Would Not Permit Return Flight.