New-York tribune., 1920-12-17
Cables Bound
For i. S. Held
Up in Britain
Western Union President
Saws London Naval Intel.
ligencc Inspects ALI Mes
sages for This Country
Senator's Obtain Facts
English Business Interests
During ar lnspectedBid
From America, Is Charge

WASHINGTON. Dec. 16. - Direct
testimony that American business mes
sages sent over British cables during
the war had come into the possession
Of British business interests was given
10 Senate committee to-day by Cap
tain F. X. Hill, formerly an American
naval sttache in South American coun-
tries.
The committee also learned from
Newcomb Carlton, president of the
Western Union Telegraph Company.
that the British naval intelligence au-
shorities now here were holding up
Tor examination all cable messages
from Great Britain to the United States.
Mr.. Carlton was unable to say
whether messages TO Great Britain or
diplomatic messages Of the American
government were being subjected to
such examination, but promiced to let
the committee know as to the latter.
Three-Cornered Dispute
Captain Hill testified that the most
glaring instance of American messages
getting into the hands of British con-
Germs was when the General Electric
Company submitted a bid for certain
electrical installations for a Brazilian.
who received next day bid from an
English concern TO supply the same
articles at lower price than the
American firm offered.
This testimony was adduced at fur
ther hearings by the committee into
the general question of cable com
municatlons and the three-cornered d
controversy over the landing OF South
American cable at Barbados, which in
wolves question of British cable
intercoastal monopoly in Brazil.
Mr.. Carlton, in discussing the hold
ing up Of American messages in Great
Britain now, said there was some iusti-
fcation for the practice, as the purpose
was TO throw light on "internal dis
turoances IN Great Britain, chiefly. |
suspect with reference to Ireland. y
He added that his company had taken
firm stand in the matter. but had
been assured that no censorship would
be imposed.
The Western Union president. testi-
fylng further as to the attempt to land
the Miami cable, said his company was
proceeding IN an orderly way through
the courts to get the cable connected
"hlle the hearing was in progress il
was said a. the State Department that
the company had been Informed that
II II landed the cable via Cuba the per.
mt under which existing cables at
Miami were landed would be altered 50
as TO prevent the transmission OF
through messages to Brazil over the
Brltish Western Company's lines from
Barbados
Struggle for Control
Elihu Root jr., counsel for the All
America Cables, Inc, was again ex-
am.ned and said the Miami controversy
vas merely a step in great interna-
tlonal struggle for the control of com
munlcatlons 70 South America-a strue-
gle between the United States on the
other
:. IT IS very great national problem, 4"
Ar. Root added
v "; Hawkins, president Of the
United Press, told the committee that
cable facilities were the chief ljrpita-
Iion on distribution Of American news
abroad, and said that conditions were
snch that his organization could not
get into South America all the news it
desired TO send there.
Inc SITUATION between the United
states and Japan" he said, SIS largely
affected by the fact that news com
munications are slow and limited
european countries realize the i'm
portance Of news distributing. How
ever. We don't want subsidies and prefer
.hat american press associations be
eft free from Influences that lead 10
tie making Of propaganda machines.
tnlnk Congress should amend the
statutes TO allow naval radio stations to
handle press and government dis
patches don't think the heads of the
eaoie companies would object to that.
because It would relieve them Of a