Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-30
ASKS LAWS UNITING
WIRE COMPANIES
President Carlton of w. U.
Co., at Hearing, Urges
Phone Telegraph Union.

Federal legislation permitting the
consolidation of the service of the
telephone and telegraph companies in
this country was strongly urged by
Newcomb Carlton, president of the
Western Union Telegraph COMPANY
at hearing before the Senate inter
state commerce committee today The
interstate commerce committee has
under consideration a measure pro
vidng for the return of the wires To
the private owners without further
delay.
Mr.. Carlton said he believes il
constructive legislation regarding the
wires while they were under govern
ment control, rather than to await
for such legislation until after the
wires had ben returned to their own
ers. He said that so far as the West
ern Union is concerned. he did not
ask for any so-called remedial legis-
lation. that the company was per.
fectly able to take care of itself
whenever the wires were returned.
Cables Could Be Included.
The consolidation of service of the
telephone and telegraph companies,
Mr.. Carlton suggested. should be un-
der the supervision OF the Interstate
Commerce Commissiou which should
| eSIaDllSn rates LOT the StFNite rem
dered one company by another. Tho
adoption of his plan, he said. could
be extended to the cables. and thus
communication of the United Statea
with the entire world would be made
more elastic.
ut is expected the United States
will be the financial savior of tho
world" said Mr.. Carleton.
why do you limit the United Stateo
to being merely the financial savio!
of the world?" interrupted Senator
Cummins, chairman of the committee
81 assume that we are the spiritual
savior of the world anyway" was the
prompt reply of Mr.. Carlton. amid
considerable laughter from the COM
mittee.
Refers to Mr.. Burleson.
Mr.. Carlton was questioned regard
ing the treatment of the Western
pared to the treatment of the Postal
Telegraph Company by the govern
ment. He discussed the differences
which have arisen between Postmas-
ter General Burleson and officials of
the Postal cofpany. saying he thought
these were due to conflicting affida-
Wits presented by the Postal officials
to the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion and to the Postmaster General
regarding earnings of the company.
Ask That Owners Be Protected.
At the hearing yesterday afternoon
the request that the government. in
turning back the wires, protect the
owners, was made by n. c. Kings
bury, vice president of the American
Telephone and Telegraph Company;
F. P. McKinnon, vice president of the
United States Independent Telephone
Association; F. c. Stevens of st. Paul.
representing other independent tele-
phone companies; Edward Reynolds,
recently deposed by Postmaster Gen
era1 Burleson as general manager of
the Postal Telegraph Company, and
H. L. Reber Of st. Louis. president of
the Kinloch Telephone Company.
Charles E. ElmQuist of the National
Association of Railway and Public
Utility Commissioners. urged that the
system be returned without any
remedial legislation.
Mr.. Reynolds severely criticised
Postmaster General Burleson, charg-
ing that he had discriminated against
the Postal and in favor of the Western
Union and that his motive was to de-
stroy competition.
.aThe Postal" Mr.. Reynolds said.
desires the immediate control OF its
properties because 1t Is greatly con-
cerned over the preservation Of it's
organization. Every move on the
eheckerboard has been made by Mr..
Burleson with a view OF bringing
about unification and establishing
monopolistic system
Cites Losses by Government.
Questioned regarding revenues of
the Bell properties under government
operation, Mr.. Kingsbury said the
government lost $9.62s.477 from Au-
gust 1, 1918. to last May L, under the
contract made with the Bell company
Return of the telephone properties
at once was urged by F. F. Mckinnon'
vice president of the United states IN
danandant ,relenhnne Association.