The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-11-07
To the Public of
 Birmingham

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 Just two years ago, on October 22, 1918, the Ala bama Public Service Commission declared, after this this Company siea earned t1 LESS THAN PER CENT UPON ITS INVESTMENT IN BIRMINGHAM DUR- ING 1916
 This investigation covered period of two years and seven months
 The city of Birmingham represented by two distinguished counsel, and employed FIVE FIX PERTS.
 These FIVE EXPERTS had access to and examined this Companys books and testified that the books had been honestly kept and that there evidence of fraud or any attempt to conceal the facts.
 The relations between the Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company and the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, and the payments from each Cmpadn to the M d Gsei were FHn y 8 zn h ex tified at length upon this relationship and these payments.
 THE COMMISSION APPROVED THIS RELATION
 SHIP AND THESE PAYMENTS
 Since 1916 the Companys earnings at Birmingham have been:
 During 1918 the Company suffered NET LOSS of 0.OS per cent
 During 1919 the Company earned o.27 per cent During the twelve months beginning August l, 1919, and ending July 31, 1920, the Company earned O54 per cent upon its investment.
 These facts were conclusively proved before the Alabama Public Service Commission at the hearing at Montgomery on October and 6.
 The Commission appointed MT. George T. Rosson of Mobile Ala to examine the books of this Company and report his findings to the Commission.
 We have advised the Commission that our books are available for Mr. ROSSOnS examination.
 Our books are kept as required by the Interstate Commerce Commission.
 A competent accountant can speedily verify the truth falsty of the statements filed with the Commission on October and 6.
 The relationship between the Southern Bell Tele- phone and Telegraph Company and the American Tel ephone and Telegraph Company is identically the same now it when approved by the Commission on October IS, 1918 The payments from one conn pany to the other are for the same purpose.
 Not one single different, or new, issue exists that was not fully testified by the cys five experts and decided by the Commission in its investigation which ended on October 18, 191A
 In 1911 the city of Birmingham employed MT. Ros- son. and he made an examination of this Company's books for the city.
 We believe Mr. Rosson made fair, impartial and true examination of books at that time for the city of Birmingham.
 The present service cannot pc malerlay improved nor can the several thousand applicants for service in Birmingham be given service until additional faci- ties are supplied; nor can Birmingham grow and pand without adequate telephone facilities
 We cannot add to our investment at Birmingham until we can charge rates which vii! yield something nearer fair profit than we receive.
 WOULD YOU?
 We are asking rates at Birmingham which will re- turn us profit of less than per cent profit which Ir;%o held hn confiscatory under present conditions.
 The business interests of Birmingham and the State If Alabama demand a prompt decision in this case Each days delay postpones the improvement of the service and further denies service to the thousands now without service.
 We believe MT. Rosson will make fair, impartial and true examination of our books at this time for the Alabama Public Service Commission.