Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1922-12-28
MAY COMPROMISE
ON PHONE RATES

Consideration of the petition Of the
Cumberland Telephone and Telegraph
Company to appoint a master in
chancery to hear the evidence in the
phone rate controversy was continued
until after the holidays by Judge
Foster in United District Court, New
Orleans, Tuesday. The judge set
January 8 to hear the petition.
The petition was presented by j..
Blanc Monroe, who with j. @. Hen
riuues, made up the legal battery
representing the phone company. C.
A. Stair, division superintendent, was
also in court and proved to be one OF
the outstanding figures in the judi
cial drama enacted in the federal
courtroom.
In making the decision to continue
the consideration Of the petition
Judge Foster assumed the role of me-
diator and suggested that the COM
pany and members of the Public Ser
vice Commission get together before
January and arrange a satisfactory
schedule which will be agreeable to
both sides. Whether Intentionally or
not, the judge automatically told the
officials Of the company and mem
bers of the commission that they
were evidently playing ball with the
public.
Should Arrange Rates
"The commission issued its rate re-
duction order last May, Judge Foster
declared. "Six months have passed,
during which time you could have
met and arranged a satisfactory
schedule. | think that during this
period when the spirit Of the holidays
is so manifest you should get to-
gether and arrange a schedule Of
rates which would be satisfactory to
both sides and to the public"
AS the judge spoke an atmosphere
of Christmas cheer seemed to per-
wade the courtroom and grip the le-
gal array present, including J. Blanc
Monroe and ]. G. Henriques.
That's fine" Mr.. Monroe declared
enthusiastically. eve will be glad
to meet with the members Of the
commission at any time and arrange
a reasonable rate"
At this Huey Long, chairman of the
commission, threw handful of snow
on the proceedings and emphatically
declared that "there will be no com
promise"
Order Will Stand
eve stand by our rate order issued
May 10 and the company must abide
by it," Mr.. Long shouted. eve have
given them ample time to come be-
| fore the members of the commission
and present any evidence which they
may have in their possession to prove
that the rates we fixed last May are
not proper and right. They have
failed to do this. We believe the
public is entitled to a fair telephone
rate. We have reduced the rates to
pre-war level. The rates we fixed
are reasonable. Before the war the
company made millions on the basis
of these rates. Since the war they
made more millions with higher rates
The commission believes that the
public should be protected and given
square deal. The rates we fived
May 10 will stand. There'll be nc
compromise"
The scene ended when the judge
with a sad smile set January 3 fol
the hearing and expressed final for.
lorn hope that the company and com
mission might arrange their differ.
ences before that date.
AS the attorneys walked from the
court, newspapermen present brought
Mr.. Monroe and Mr.. Long together il
the hall outside the courtroom. With
newspapermen they stood facing each
other within striking distance.
"Well, what are you going to do,
they asked each other. care you go
ing to follow Judge Fosters advice
and compromise, or are you going t.
continue fighting each other?.
Won't Compromise
eve are willing to compromise,
said Mr.. Monroe, while at the same
time Mr.. Long emphatically replied
eve will not compromise.
At present the company is collect
ing the high rates.