The sun., 1919-02-24
UTILITIES OFFICIALS
ASK WIRES RETURN
Tell President and Congress
Service Is Inferior, With
Costs to Public Higher.
WAR EMERGENCY ENDED
Discrimination In Favor Of
Bell Company Is Alleged in
Formal Statement.
Special Despatch 90 TIE Sun,

WARRINGTON, Feb. 23.-CharginR that
,bs net result Of six months OF operation
q the wire systems by the Postmaster
General has been inferior service and
Substantially increased charges to the
oub,,c, the National Association OF Rail-
vsy and Utilities Commissioners has ad-
are,,ed a letter to the President and to
Congress urging immediate relinquish-
ment OF wire control.
The State Commissioners. who were
,ecently in conference here, declare that
The morale OF employees OF the wire SER
400 has broken down under Gov
eminent management, and that unsatis-
factory operation Is resulting in
broadcast public feeling that the wire
systems should be returned Immediately
10 private control.
II Is further charged by them that
contracts made by the post office be-
tween the Bell and other wire systems
are 60 different as to constitute serious
discrimination, the Bell contract being
favorable to the company, The entire
course OF control by the Postmaster
General is made the subject of attack
IN resolutions passed by the State
Commissioners while in convention here
several days ago.
Tho letter to the President was signed
By C. NJ. Elmquist. president of the
national association, who recites the
history Of Government control and says
The war emergency which occasioned
wire control Is passed. 1t Is pointed
out In the letter that the telephone
service OF the country Is mostly local
md has been regulated by State com
missions in all except five States, but
nj p<.uf n
Ter General has undertaken to eetab-
'i,h installation and service charges as
we'll as standard toll rates to apply
uniformly on State as well as inter-
state business, land he has indicated an
Intention to fix exchange or local rates
based upon uniform principles"
Association's Resolution.
The following resolution passed by
The association is enclosed:
"whereas II Is apparent that the
ends sought to be obtained by Federal
control OF telephone and telegraph
lines as a war measure have already
been satisfied as far as Is possible and
Il Is not perceivable that under exist
Ing conditions It Is desirable that
further Government control be exer-
cised pending the return Of such
properties to State control: and
Whereas during the short period
II such control and operation by the
FEDERAL Government there has been
practically no interference or change
In the corporate organization. man.
agement or properties OF said tele-
phone and telegraph companies; and
Whereas pending the natural ter
nination of such Federal control the
State commissions are embarrassed
BY the assumption by the Postmaster
General of exclusive control over
rates; therefore be 1t
"'Resolred, That this association
does respectfully recommend TO the
Postmaster General that the Federal
control OF the telephone and telegraph
lines cease as soon as practicable and
the military necessity therefor shall
have ended
"on taking charge OF these systems
or July 20, 1918. the Postmaster-General
aid:
att will be the purpose of the Post
ONCE to give service at the least cost TO
he people. keeping in mind that a a!gh
standard OF efficiency must be main
aimed
In his address at the annual con-
vention of our association on November
Is. 1918. he stated:
Tho controlling consideration with
The Government Is to give the largest
and best service possible at the least
cost It Is our purpose In the
management Of these systems to unity
and so adjust the rates as to be able to
take care of the increased volume OF
business and when that has been done
II Is our earnest hope that We will be
able so to adjust the rates as TO bring
about a substantial reduction of them.
Charges Greatly Increased.
-on December IA the Postmaster
General Issued his Bulletin No. 81 pre-
scrihing a schedule OF standardized toll
rates effective January %, 1919, which
| greatly increased the charges to the
public. Although the schedule had this
result, he announced that: The effect OF
| This uniform or basic rate of station to
station service is to reduce or not affect
about 70 per cent OF the rates. though
necessarily slightly raising about 30 per
cent In the process OF Standardization
The net result of SIX months OF op-
Grafton by the Postmaster General OF
these wire systems Is: Inferior ser
vie, and very substantial increases |.
Charges 10 the public.
We feel that these properties should
Be returned. No military necessity car
now be pleaded In support OF Govern
nent control The quality OF the service
haS IN many cases detertorated. Nc
rule, regulation. practice or rate In
crease las been adopted for military
purposes. Rates ana charges have beer
greatly Increased without giving th'
patrons or the public an opportunity Il
be heard as IS me reaenuablenesSf
Justice thereof; although the princIpl'
was lcng ago settled that importa
changes shall be submitted for public
eonslGorat!on before becoming effective
THESE rate changes are applicabl,
Upon State as we'll as interstate traffi'
and have thereby caused widespread dis
tat!sfactlon with Federal operation
Which Is evidenced by the fact that Judi
cal protection TO prevent the collection
said excessive charges has been sough
o the States OF New York, New Jersey
Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kansas
Nebraska, Illinois. Indiana. Michigan
Minnesota, Wisconsin and California, an,
In contemplation by several others
This toll rate order also prescribes a new
and un:r!ed system which has resulted II
general confusion among operating of
ueials and the patrons throughout tn
country.
Fundamen Changes Made.
Fundamental changes are being mad
N the operation OF these systems whicl
Pooably could not be legally done undo
private control and which upon returl
70 private management may caus
serious disturbances IN the relativ
status OF the different wire systems
FEDERAL operation also disrupted servic
ard resulted in interfering with man
on the established practices In forty
TOUT States of the Union. II La fel