The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-07-08
LESH FILES
PETITION IN
Q PHONE WAR
open Defiance of State
Law Is Charged in Suit
for Injunction to Prevent
Enforcement of Increased
Rates.

Charging that the Indiana Eel
Telephone Company has placed in
effects rates "in open defiance' Of
State laws" and that irreparable
loss and damage viii result to the
public if the unlawful rates are
continued, L. S. Lesh, attorney
general of Indiana, today filed a suit
TO enjOin enforcement Of the rates,
in Superior Court Two, Judge Linn
D. Hay viii hear the case Saturday
at a. N.
The complaint is based upon fail
ure of the company to comply with
the Indiana statute requiring public
utilities to file proposed rate
changes with the public service com
mission thirty days in advance Of the
- when they are TO take effect and
J - tain the commission approval
f&.s&s changes.
~ lis the contention Of the State
- The telephone company has
k{#z far beyond the scope Of the
etion issued by Federal Judge
xFsfge T. Page of the United States
- rcuit Court Of Appeals in in
sTtuting the increased rate schedule
and substituting measured for fiat
rate service.
Chamber Pledges Aid
In the battle the commission will
have the full support of the Indian
apolis Chamber Of Commerce. Henry
L. Dithmer, president of the cham
Der; John B. Reynolds. general sec
retary, and o. D. Haskett compris-
ing a subcommittee of the public
service committee of the Chamber,
conferred with the commission to-
day. Every member Of the commits
sion, except Frank Wampler, who is
out Of the city, was present
We pledged the commission our
support" Reynolds said. We are
willing to be Of whatever assistance
we can give
Samuel r. Artman, commission
chairman. said the chamber had
promised TO gather information to be
used by the State in its fight. II is
understood that this information will
consist Of statistics as to relative
cost Of service under the new and old
rate schedules and to class Of service
supplied by the company.
Directors, Approval Asked
Reynolds said the board of direc-
tors Of the chamber will be asked TO
approve formally the action of the
subcommittee, in order that the ac-
ton may stand on record as that Of
the chamber and not merely Of a
number of officers and individuals.
The executive committee OF the
Indianapolis Federation Of Com
x2unity Clubs went on record as
- posed to the new rates Monday
..Eght. Resolutions cCmmending Lesh
for his attack on the company's
charter and his attempts to enjoin
collection of the rates were adopted
The stard Of the public service COM
mission and Of Governor Branch
also were indorsed.
Practically every community CLUB
in the CITY was represented.
The meeting called by the Indiana
State Chamber Of Commerce Of may
ors. State officials and telephone
company representatives for Wednes.
day, probably will come to nothing
Officials of the public service COM
mission have announced that they
will not attend the meeting. Media
ton is out of the question, they said.
The State chamber will go ahead
with its plans, however.
The telephone company was con-
demned severely in resolutions
adopted by the Englewood Hustling
Hundreds at it's monthly meeting
Monday night. The only possible re-
lief was to be obtained through Gov
ernment ownership of telephone and
Telegraph lines, the resolution stated.
1.-The people are now helpless in the
face of the unrestrained greed of
the American Telephone and Tele-
graph Company" the resolutions
said.