Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-11-19
j. s. THREATENS To
CUT W. u. CABLES
May Revoke Permits Granted for
Landing Lines.
TELLS GOVERNMENTS STAND
Formal Statement Issued by the State
Department Regarding Old Row
Declares Nothing Unreasona-
bic Asked of Company.

Washington, Nov. 1s.-A yelled
threat that permits granted for the
landing of Western Union cables in the
United States will be revoked unless
the company continues to accord the
American government the same priv
ileges that it accords the British and
other governments In handling cable
messages is contained in formal
statement issued by the State depart
ment.
The company, says the announce
ment, not only has refused to accept
any government cable messages with
out prepayment of tolls, but also has
refused to carry al the reduced gov
eminent rate messages originating out
side of the United States.
obviously" said the departments
statement, "the United States could
not be expected to allow the West
ern Union company, an American
corporation. to charge for its messages
twice the rate charged for example,
the British government, nor TO accede
10 requirement that the ordinary
practice of business with respect to
periodical settlement of accounts, shall
be set aside in dealings with our gov
eminent"
Trouble of Long Standing.
This was the first statement by the
department regarding its controversy
with the telegraph company, which is
OF several months standing and which
eliminated with the notice from the
company to the department that cable
messages offered 1t for transmission
after November 10 would have to be
paid for in advance and also that the
government would no longer be grant
ed the reduced rate ON messages orig
mating abroad
After reviewing the differences re-
garding the settlement for cable mes
sages previously transmitted, the de-
partment's announcement declared
that the legal principles controlling
the landing and regulation of cables
in the United States were well estab-
lished and that Sin the absence of
congressional legislation these matters
are regulated by the executive by vir-
tue Of his authority with respect to
the conduct of relations with foreign
countries"
Involves U. s. interests.
"The executive" said the statement,
''may prevent the landing of cable
or permit it on conditions which will
protect the interests Of the United
States and IL landing has been made
without the consent of the government
the operation Of the line may be pre-
vented.
1T has been the uniform policy of
the government 10 allow the landing of
cables only on condition that The gov
eminent of the United States shall be
entitled to exercise and to enjoy the
same privileges with regard to the con-
troll and use of such lines as are ex-
ercised and enjoyed by any foreign
government. obviously the law and
the policy must be the same whether
telegraph connection with a foreign
country is by land line or by sub
marine cable"
Nothing unreasonable has beer
asked of the Western Union company
nothing not required from, and with
out objection granted by, other com.
panies; much less has been asked than
some companies give the government.
II may be mentioned that certain com
panies accord TO the government of
the United States entirely free cable
service for official messages"