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Show IE GRANGE WILL . OPEI TOSTK Perplexing Problems Are Raised in Telegraph and Telephone Services. Taking over the telephone and telegraph companies on August l' by the government govern-ment has raised a number of perplexing v questions, the answers to which are anx-"HiiMy anx-"HiiMy awaited by local telephone and telegraph tele-graph officials. As these answers can :come only from the government, the officials, of-ficials, perforce, are required to awatt announcement from the government on the points at issue. One important question is, to whom or what organization will be given jurisdiction juris-diction over complaints. It is rather expected ex-pected hy local telephone and telegraph men that Postmaster General Burleson, to whose department the lines will belong, be-long, will call for regional directors to look after Vomplaints and other affairs o( the lines in the various districts of the , countrv. Telephone officials are concerned in two possibilities in connection with rate changes. One is that if Burleson reduces rates something not considered likely can the companies put in a claim to the Kovernment for the revenue losses they will sustain? The other is, will it follow the railroad administration's policy and combine the various companies wherever possible? A third question they are anxious to have the government clear up is this: It all the small lines are merged, and if extensions are ordered that will not pay for the capital expenditures, will the government gov-ernment make up the deficit? This question, they say, depends upon whether the government makes contracts with the telephone utilities as it is doing wilh the railroads. Thus far there Pas Veen nothing clear on the subject from Washington. Burleson,-according to util-itv util-itv officials, will have much more difficulty diffi-culty in adjusting the situation in the east than out here, hecauso of the more active telephone competition there. |