International Electrical Communications

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OPINIONS regarding international electrical communications differ widely according as the sponsor is concerned with the operation of facilities or with their social, military, political or commercial employment; according as he is moved by general international or by particular national considerations; and according as he conceives either that electrical communications should be conducted on a public service basis similar to the post-office or that they should be left to competitive or monopolistic commercial exploitation.

Perhaps the broadest conception is that the entire world should be provided with adequate, interconnecting facilities, handling traffic in every direction at low rates, ultimately at nominal rates, and so organized as to prevent international or commercial controversies arising out of efforts to control communications for selfish purposes. This is carrying over to electrical communications the conception underlying the Universal Postal Union. Behind such a conception is a recognition that facilities for communication constitute highways of thought and commerce and a belief that international intercourse should be stimulated. As sometimes expressed, the international electrical communication, network constitutes the world's neutral system and every improvement in that system may be expected to contribute in the long run towards making possible world integration.

Others are blind to this vision of a world-wide network of communications or pooh-pooh it as fantastic idealism. They believe that their particular country should have such communication facilities and services as are required for social, military, political and commercial purposes, and in the field of international communications should gain for its nationals as many exclusive privileges and preferential advantages as possible. The proponents of this idea consider electrical communications a legitimate field for international rivalry...