The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1919-01-31
BURlESOM'S new
RATES AROUSE PUBLIC
Increases Cost But Not Quality
of Long Distance
Service.

Washington, D. C.-Nothing the
present administration has attempted
to "put over" has aroused such wide
spread resentment and called forth
such general and vigorous protests as
Postmaster General Burleson's re-
vision upward of long-distance tele-
phone charges, effective January 81,
1919
Since the administration, under the
pretext of its being war measure,
seized the telephone service of the
country and placed it under Post
master General Burleson, there has
been growing dissatisfaction with the
service. The limit of public patience
however, seems to have been reached
when the new schedule of rates for
long distance was announced Not
withstanding the announcement was
accompanied by the carefully conveyed
impression that the new rates would
be public benefit, the facts are pref
ty definitely summed up in the state,
ment Of Chairman Hill, Of the New
York Public Service Commission
made in connection with the Commits,
sion's instituting legal proceedings If
the federal courts to restrain the New
York Telephone Company from
putting into operation the new rate:
ordered by Postmaster General Burle
son. Mr. Hill said:
"The new rates were promulgat-
ed by the Postmaster General with
the statement that they brought
about a decrease in charges, but
d..
Service Commission gives the
same results as analysis made by
the public service commissions in
Illinois, Ohio, Nebraska, New
Jersey, Indiana. Missouri and
other states; that is. that the rates
are increased from 20 to 100 per
cent The effect of the order of
the Postmaster General is to in
crease charges for telephone
service covering the bulk of traffic
and making charges for certain
service which heretofore were
free"
Burleson's Power Challenged.
The New York Public Service Com
mission is not alone in resorting t,
litigation to test the right of Post
master General Burelson to man
handle the telephone rates of the coun
try At least nine other state com
missions have instituted legal pro
ceedings to prevent the enforcement
of these new rates. These states are
Illinois, Nebraska, West Virginia
Ohio, New Jersey, Minnesota, Mich
gan, Wisconsin and Alabama. Ii
commenting upon its action in chal
longing Postmaster General Burleson'
program. the Nebraska State Com
mission issued a statement in whicI
it says:
"The Postmaster General has en-
tered into compensation contract
with telephone companies withou
making any audit of their books O
survey of their properties. TIL
Postmaster General has increase
the existing charges and has mad
new charges for service heretofor
free without substantial investigated
of their necessity and practicable,
The Postmaster General has cor
Quoted the business without affordin
the public an opportunity TO be heard
The state officials of practically a
the states have registered their di:
approval of the action in messages
various congressman, and PARTICULAR
to the members of the House Con
mittee on Postoffice and Post Road
The public protests against the nc
rates take on the air of indignatio
because of the attempt on the part I
the Postmaster General to make it al
pear that the new rates are dcreas
To illustrate what are the real fac
it is only necessary to compare II
new rates in action with the old.
How New Rates Work.
Under the old order, if John Brow
wished to talk to William Smith.
might put in call for William Smitl
that is, he might ask the operator NJ
only to get the telephone number
which William Smith might be Gale
but to call William Smith himself
, the phone. Or John Brown mig
want to talk to William Smith at
certain hour and he could make :
appointment to have William Smi
put on the phone at that hour, {
he might want William Smith to CO
him at certain hour and have w
liam Smith call him. with the charg
reversed. Any one or all of the
things, John Brown might have dol
under the old schedule without n,
extra charges over the published rat
for a threc-minutc talk,
Now il is different Under Pos
master General Burleson's new sche
ule, John Brown cannot talk to w
liam Smith unless he puts in what
now designated person to perso
call, The rate for such call Is
per cent greater than the minimu
rate for three minutes conversatio
The only service John Brown can nc
get for the minimum rate is what
known as a station to station ca
This merely entities him to call
telephone number and talk to whol
ever answer the phone, As only