Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 57, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 March 1919 — HUGHES FLAYS CABLE SEIZURE [ARTICLE]

HUGHES FLAYS CABLE SEIZURE

ARGUES THAT ULTERIOR MOTIVE OF MOVE IS GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP. Washington, March 7.—Charles E. Hughes, appearing before the supreme court today as counsel for the Commercial Cable and Commercial Pacific Cable companies, charged that Postmaster General Burleson, by taking control of the marine cables -systems five days after the signing of the armistice, had misused the powers conferred by a join congressional resolution, had given the resolution an interpretation “foreign to the intent of congress,” and had an ulterior motive, the forcing of government ownership of the cables. The accusations of Mr. Hughes were generally denied by Solicitor General King, who presented the for the government, asking that the court sustain the decrees of lower courts dismissing injunction proceedings brought by the two cable companies to prevent the postmaster general from taking over their cables and merging them with those of the Western Union Telegraph company. Both attorneys were interrupted frequently by questions from the court. Although each side was given an extension of time to present arguments, neither availed itself of the prviilege and arguments were concluded before the court adjourned. Mr. Hughes conteirted that although the presidential proclamation under which the action was taken was dated November 2, it actually was not signed until after hostilities ceased on November 11. In reply Mr. King asserted that the cables were taken over in reality on November 2, when the proclamation was signed by the President, but did not pass into the hands of the postmaster general until fourteen days afterwards. * _ TT , Seizure of the cables, Mr. Hughes said, was not necessitated by the “national security and defense,” as President Wilson, before the cables were taken over, had declared before congress that the war had come to an end and that Germany and Austria had agreed to armistice terms which would make the resumptiori of hostilities impossible.