The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1948-04-09
Not An Apology

The recent decision order Public
of Montana in the service rate increases
asked by the Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany, the last weeks issue of The Voice.
considered fair taking all factors into consideration It is
enough by
granted by the commission, disturbed And
also understandable that the telephone dsap
pointed commissions refusal its requests
shown by statements released by the company following
publication of the order
attended hearing commission and the usual
thing happened The telephone represented by
able attorneys had of its local managers
prepared fortfy evidence all
kinds printed The comparatively present
appearing for few organizations opposing
had little evidence present sustain their opposition
The attorney generals office appeared opposition pre-
scented the only arguments that could be taken evidence
the commission.
Peoples rather unusual role of
rising defense of the action of the which
and has been criticized by those affected by
action totally in the publics interests freely
admitted that this is tout of character perhaps study
of the order issued by the commission mpreses
that the commissions attorney had lot of work
assembling offset many telephone
company the comsson the assembled
facts reduced the telephone companys requested increases
very materially.
The company presented by accounts kept in
the prescribed by the Federal Communications Com
mission
had of 80 instruments high %
for 1910 In 1910 the company showed that
dollar of labor In
1917 this had Sc the dollar The
in 1910 paid amounting to $132587 in 1947
it paid S3,904,479 in Montana.
is of course the Western Electric Com
subsidiary of the American and Company owned
by top group parent company The West
Electric sells equipment and materials parent company
and the big boys the the profits of this mammoth
subsidiary The Mountain States T. and T. claims that it is
compelled buy exclusively from the Western Electric
that purchase elsewhere but that
bic from that This statement unsupported
by evidence However, the Federal Communications Com
mission and the National Association of Utility Commissioners
said be investigating the earnings of the Western
Electric and when this examination completed there be
developments this is undoubtedly of the conditions
which T. T. subsidiaries
nerable.
The telephone claimed showed by it's records
that its 1947 only 1867 it's plant costs
This the commission challenged the basis of the company
failure take consideration the depreciation charges
asserted that the should have shown 4% earnings
Moreover investigation by the commission showed that the
earnings in Montana the highest
in this
The commission refused approve automatic
the lumber telephones
the the exchange under higher classca
on The had submitted schedule of nine cassif
cations ranging from stations with from $50 telephones
up for stations from 10001 Is 600
phones denied by the commission class
eight increased maximum of 10000 phones Differing
ordinary industries where volume of production calls for
to the of the product the telephone
considered rendering expansive service
worth the individual the greater the number of
telephones installed Or to put simply the telephone
pany from each the business the
company has. It's good racket.
intended apology for the credit given
Public Commission for it's decision and order
which believe much in the publics interest the
commission could possibly get with Had the commits
Of the request of the telephone the