Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-12-16
WESTERN UN|O n
OEF|ES STATE DEPT.
Gives Notice That Company Will
Connect It's Cable from Barba-
does to U. S. Lines Regardless
of Govt. Opposition

NHshHGtOn IeC. 10. (by the Assoc
ciated Press Notice was given the
American government to-day by New
comb z. Carlton. president Of the
Western Union Telegraph Company,
that his company intends to connect
it's new cable from Barbados with it's
lines in the United States by means of
existing cables to Cuba regardless of
the opposition of President Wilson and
the State department
Mr.. Cartons statement was made in
testimony before Senate interstate
commerce commission sub committee
which has before it an administration
measure giving the executive depart
ment absolute control over the landing
of cable lines on American soil He
was one of four witnesses examined at
the opening of an inquiry into the
whole subject of cable communications
and from whose testimony the COM
mlttee developed among other things
that the All America Cables, Inc, an
American concern. Is engaged with the
support of the state department. in "A
| fight against the Western Telegraph
Company of Great Britain and the
Western Union, in an effort to break
British company in Brazil. There also
was testimony that the All America
company enjoys cable monopolies in
several Central and South American
! countries; that the international COM
| munications conference here has reach =
ed tentative agreement that no CEN
SorShip shall be imposed upon cable
messages merely passing through re-
ay points: that there is no cable com
runications between the United States
ana Germany except over British con-
rolled lines; that some foreign gov
ernments are substituting news agen-
cies, disseminating reports in other
countries and that the Western Union
plans further Independent connections
through American cable lines to Italy,
''r~f al Sca'1',n--in
The committee will continue its inquiry
tomorrow and again next week. and It
plans to inquire particularly into the
matter of the dissemination of American
news abroad and the handling of cable
messages of American firms seeking for
e;gn business. These subjects were
touched upon generally to-day and the
committee received suggestions from Mr.
Carlton that Independent cable lines be
established between the United States
and Japan and the United States and
China for the exchange of news between
these countries.
Reading q prepared statement to the
committee, Mr.. Carlton discussed al
length the refusal of the American gov
ernment to permit the landing at Miami
Florida, of his companys cable from
Barbados. which Is to connect with the
British line there to Brazil and charged
that by it's action the government was
so TTv,tta Stata
South American monopoly in favor of an.
other company"
J;lihu Root Jr., appearing for the ALI
American cables, gave an entirely differ
ent version of the controversy. He said
the question in stopping the Miami cable
laying was that il might lead to the
British company giving up Its Brazilian
monopoly and charged that the Western
Union had entered into contract with
the British company by which the Ameri-
can concern would direct to the British
lines all the business collected by it In
the United States.
Acting Secretary Davis OF the state
department. testifying as to the contro-
versy between the Government and the
Western Union. said the President had
refused to permit the landing Of the
Barbados cable because it would con-
meet with tlt Dl1llSH NHlNIl ciJoyeu q
monopoly in Brazil and that :his actor
was in conformity with American prece.
dent and tradition.
Secretary Davis also said that the Prcsi
dent had decided that deciS.on on ths
Western Union landing should be post
poned ending the meeting of the inter
national communications conference ent
that when ii appeared thar the WesteiI
Union intended to disregard this warn
ing the navy vas ordered 20 act
Mr.. Carlton testified in this regard thai
when the matter n the Barbados Goa
pectior was first hroached to the stat,
department no objection was raised ant
that nc reply was made to notice thai
tho company was preparing to land tn,
cable unit American warsh!ps appeared
off Miami for the beginning Of what the
witness called the bloodless and histori,
| battle Of Miami"