Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-02-24

other than labor in the year 1919 or
| future increases in costs other than Ia
Dor
1.-THE petitioners engineers testified
| the order says, that in appraising the
physical property they took the highest
and lowest material prices which pre-
vailed from July /, 1914. to July /, 1919,
and used the average of these high and
low prices as basis for their appraisais.
Labor prices entering into construction
were based on labor prices of July 1,
1919"
The prices on materials used do not
represent the normal average price from
1914 to 1919, for the reason that only two
points in the price curve of that period
were considered. Various checks disclose
that material prices used by the petit
toner were greatly in excess of the nor
NAL average price for the period.
SHOWS INCREASE
IN SALARIES.
The total toll revenue of the Indian
apolis exchange for 1918 was 1921 ,o7012.
OF that sum. $113,502.73 was credited to
the exchange. Wages paid toll operators
amounted to S67,520. The total increase
in wages for toll and local departments
OF the Indianapolis exchange in 1919 over
1918 was S36S,000
The commission has allowed an annual
depreciation rate of per cent on all
depreciable property of the company.
Value of the company's depreciable prop
erty in Indianapolis is set by the com
mission at S5,443610.
The commission held that the basis
for payment for rentals of receivers.
transmitters and induction coils owned
by the American Telephone and Tele-
graph Company and for other services
performed by that company is unbusi-
nesslIke and unsound. The Central
Union pays a AZ per cent license reve-
nue. to the American Telephone and Tele-
graph Company The 4Ia per cent is on
the gross revenues of the company and
the commission held that there was no
relationship between that rate of pay
and the service rendered.
PROPOSE STUDY
OF SITUATION.
The commission proposed that the en-
tire question of the Az per cent allow
ance be submitted to joint study by the
American Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany and the National Association OF
Railway and Utilities Commissioners,
acting for the various commissions OF
the company in order that the question
may find uniform solution throughout the
country.
Commissioner VanAuken colcurred in
the order, but not in findings as TO value,
depreciation or the Az per cent license
revenue. Commissioner Johnson con-
CURED in all phases of the order.
The girl question had an important
place in the deliberations of the commits
sion on the involved telephone problem.
In that connection the order said:
The present rate situation arises
largely from the suddenly changed in
dustrial status of woman and the new
money value placed on her labor. The
evidence reveals that before the war
telephone companies experienced little
difficulty In obtaining competent girls
and young women as operators. The war
suddenly opened new and wider fields OF
labor. Girls and young women were
called from the homes. the switchboard,
and clerical and other positions TO
skilled work. accounting, professional
employment and other fields formerly
monopolzed by men. The unprecedented
activities of commerce and industry
caused business and manufacturing con
Germs to bid for such labor in the open
market, not only with high wages but
with improved working conditions in
Guiding employment supervisors TO look
after the interests of employees. rest
rooms and other favorable conditions In