The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1919-01-03
Burleson Cuts Telephone Rates.

Sweeping reductions in long distance
and toll telephone rates by the adoption
of basic charge of ct mills mile, air.
line mileage, and half day rate for
night service up to midnight and one
fourth the day rate after that hour,
was announced Monday by Postmaster
General Burleson. They become effec-
tive January q.
The new rates were made IN the nrst
report of the committee on rate stand
ardization and Mr.. Burleson's- state
ment said their effect is to equallze the
toll and long distance charges over the
country, removing disparitles and
preferences and providing scientific
basis for future reductions contemplate
ed as unifcation of telephone and teie-
graph wires proceeds.
IA night service rate said the
statement, (which is one-half the day
rate, is established between $3.50 and IL
p M. Between midnight and 4:SO A.
M. the night rate is one-fourth the day
late. These are greater reductions In
night rates than have ever been MADE
in aoy country, and doubtless will be
xtensiyely used, especially for socla'
and family purposes. A person might
talk from San Francisco to New York
for about 81, whereas the day rate Is
approximately SIG.
IA station to station service is estab-
li,hed such as now exists in the balance
of the world. that is, when connection
ia established with a mans house or
Office. the opportunity to converse Is
provided and the station to station rate,
which is the basic rate, applies and Is
payable whether the particular person
desired responds or not. This rate up
to "a miles at the rate of five cents Tor
six miles and for greater distances i've
cents for each eight miles. or about Six
and one-fourth mills mile.
The distance is computed by airline
methods and not by pole line or public
highways. The airline distances are
commonly about 100 miles, when the
others would run $50 miles. Its stated
by the committee that more than oo
varieties of toll rates have existed III
the United States up to the present
time. The effect of this uniform or
basic rate in the station to station SER
vice is to reduce or not affect about ~
per cent. of the rates though neces-
sarily slightly raising about 30 per cent
in the process of Standardization.
requires about two and one-half
times much work to establish con
nection with particular person than
the station-to-statio service. Hither-
to the rates have been the same for
both kinds of services, nothing being
maid. however great the services per-
foImed, on the failure of the telephone
institution to secure the particular per
NON. The particular person service has
also been used to defraud the Govern
ment out of its toll revenues. Design
ing persons employ codes under which,
although the desired telephone is reach
ed. the particular person is said not to
be there but words of explanation
piyep from his phone answer all the
rurposes of the call under the code
arrangement.
"The particular person service Is not
discontinued, but the rate therefor Is
40 modified as to prevent these abuses
and COMPENSATE the telephone service
in part for the extra expense of labol
and plant involved, and charge OF z;
nor cent. of the station. to-station rate
ia made for such service, when the par
.icular person is secured, and a repor
charge OF Is per cent. of the station-to
.tation rate is made when the public o.
office telephone is obtained and hi
whereabouts or refusal to talk is re
ported.
''In many large sections of the coun
try the smallest toll rate has been no
lsss than 10 cents. Under the neV
scheme for short distances the rate
are reduced to cents and for 10 cent
the cheapest form of service tn
ran talk five minutes as compar
se minutes now, or in som
.wo minutes or one minute
reas where the exchang
asignated to cover the fire
low charge therefor ar
by this order