The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-29
CONTROL
 /. OF WIRES WOULD |. END DECEMBER 31 UNDER RESOLUTION
Measure FavOrably Report ed by Committee and Will Be Presented in House Today and Right of
 Way Asked
Rv Associated Press

AsSoesateh
 Washington, January 2S. Government control of tele phone and telegraph properties
 would end next December 3l under a resolution ordered fa-
 vorably reported today by the
 House postoffice committee by
 vote of 10 to 8. Chairman Moon announced that he would present the measure Tn the House tomorrow and ask for a
 rule to give 1t right of way. The resolution made no mention ot ca
 be properties and that phase of the sit uation was not discussed at the meeting of the committed Members later eN- pressed varying opinions as to the effect of the legislation on federal control of those properties which was assumed by pf esidential proclamation last November under the authority given in the original
 wire control resolution passed by Con gress last July l6
 Chairman Moon said the new legisla- ton would not affect the original law Insofar as it applied to cable propert control of which would have to be reln- quished with the issuing of prociama- ton by the President announcing the signing of the treaty of peace and it's ratification. Other members expressed s different view. based on the fact that the cable properties were controlled by the telegraph companies. They thought control of the cables would be auto i matically extended.
 VARIOUS DATES SUGGESTED Various dates for termination of con. trol of the telephone and telegraph com panies were suggested atteY the connllt- tee had concluded its hearings on the orr < nal administration measure by eN- amining Postmaster General Burleson The first proposal for restoration of the properties to private management next May ao but this and another to
 extend the time to December Si, l92e. | were voted down
 t As introduced by Chairman Moon the
 reseletions apthorixed the postmaste \ Cfehefat 10 acgotiafc cofftractg for rr'er purchase of telegraph properties, bu, i these provisions were stricken cut by l 1 proponents of the Legislation insisted thal the purpose was to extend the period Of icontrol and not to bring about sovtrn- mont owneship.
 On the final vote as announced by the committee. three democrats joined with seven republicans to end the period ot
 control on December 3i and seven demo-
 crats and one prohibltionist opposed it, i as they desired extension for a longer period. The vote follows.
 l THE ROLL CALL { For Republicans: stevenson of Minne l sota Madden of Illinois. Griest of Penn 1 sylvania, Copley of Illinois. Paige of l Massachusetts. Woodward of West Vir-
 gina Ramseur of Iowa.. Democrats:
 Bell of Georgia. Holland of Virginia, Black of Texas--3 Total, t0 l Against-Democrats Moon of Tennes-
 see Sterling of Pennsylvania. Oliver of | New York, Rouse of Kentucky. Black 1 mbn of Alabama, Beakes o, Michigan
 and Ayres of Kansas-7, Prohibitionist:
 Randall of Cal lfornia--l. Total, s. | Mir Burleson favored a longer period O: government control than next Decem- ber 20 a date suggested while he was | before the committee. He said "the dan ger" would be that Congress would have been in sesion but a month and declared Ithat he regarded the question as one of great importance because manufacturers and others must have proper service lin order to develop their business. l The Postmaster General declared that l if he wished to insure government own 1 ership he would turn back the systems l at once, but added that he thought tke
 interest of the business men should be
 looked after"
 | While Mir. Burleson was on the stand | Representative Madden read into the rec 1 ord d letter from George G. Ward, vice 1 president of the Commercial Cable com pany, to the Postmaster General, dated l January 20, which said:
 The British government forbids our pls cling the Commercial Cable company or it's cables under the control of its | com petitor. the Western Union Telegraph | company.
 BURLESON'S REPLY
 The postoffice department tonight made | public q copy of Mir Burleson.s reply to Mr Ward in which he said.
 ''lt seems only necessary to state that the English government is exercising con
 trol over the property of and persons lCpntinucd on Page TwO) ,dSuspended