OCR Text |
Show OO INCREASE IN RATES BRINGS OBJECTIONS; WASHINGTON, Nov. 21 Increases in telephone rates ranging from 14 to 3G percent, ordered In certain sections by Postmaster General Burleson through state utility commissions, are drawing sharp protests from some of the state authorities. This was disclosed dis-closed today after the postoffice department de-partment had made public a telegram sent to the Oregon public service commission com-mission In response to a complaint that the method of making increases there was Irregular. Without going into the question of his power to fix rates, Mr. Burleson asked the Oregon commission to consider con-sider the new schedule there as regularly regu-larly filed so that there may be no interruption in-terruption of service or loss to the government, gov-ernment, and that employes may not bo deprived of Increased wages already granted. W. H. Lamar, solicitor for the de partment and member of the wire control con-trol committee said today that the Increases In-creases complained of all had been authorized au-thorized aftor the companies concerned concern-ed had estimated additional revenues needed to meet increased labor and material costs. He sal no state utilities utili-ties commission had as yet refused to allow any of the increases asked and that consequently the question of whether whe-ther the postmaster general's authority author-ity was sufficient to establish increased increas-ed rates even in the face of state and municipal opposition had not been passed upon. All Increases arc regarded as tentative tenta-tive and provisional, Mr. Lamar added, add-ed, to be definitely settled by the rate standardization and unification plans now being worked out. |