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Show WILSON TO TAKE CHARGEJF WIRES AUGUST 1 SET AS DATE FOR FED: ERAL CONTROL OF TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE LINES. ' Administration of Wire System Placed With Postmaster General Burleson; Present Managements and Em- ployes Will Continue. Washington. Acting under authority author-ity recently conferred by congress, President Wilson July 23 issued a proclamation proc-lamation taking all telephone and telegraph tele-graph lines under government operation opera-tion and control at midnight, Wednesday, Wednes-day, July 31. Although congress empowered him to do so, the president did not include wireless systems, because the navy al- ready is in control of them; and he also did not include ocean cables, pre- sumably because contracts the cable 'companies have with foreign governments govern-ments on whose shores they land contain con-tain clauses respecting government operation which raised involved questions. ques-tions. The navy already Is In practical practi-cal control of the cables through its censorship. . The president's proclamation placed administration 'of-, the wire systems with Postmaster General Burleson, and provided that until otherwise decided the present managements and employes will continue. Present financial arrangements ar-rangements also will continue with the approval of the postmaster general. Minimum of Interference. In a statement accompanying the president's proclamation, Postmaster-(General Postmaster-(General Burleson announced to the j country that his policy would be one of the least possible interference with the wire communication systems consistent con-sistent with the interests and needs of the government. Press wire service, Mr. Burleson sa hi, would be interfered with only to improve Its facilities, and farmers telephones would be interfered with only to facilitate their connection with the larger lines. No general policy has been decided upon, the postmaster general gen-eral announced, and imblic. notice will be given of any plans to change present pres-ent arrangements. ' Committee Is Named. Tost master General Burleson will personally take charge of the administration admin-istration of the wire communications, 1 and will be assisted by a committee of three, composed of John L. Koons, first assistant postmaster general, in subjects of organization and administration; adminis-tration; David J. Lewis, former congressman con-gressman from Maryland, now a member mem-ber of the tariff commission, on subjects sub-jects of operation; and .William ' II. Lamar, solicitor for -the postoflice department, de-partment, on matters of finance. |