Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-20
MAYOR REFUSES USE
OF RECEPTION ROOM
FOR RATE PROTEST
Blankenburg Flatly Turns
Down Request of Com
muters to Aid in Fight on
Railroads.


ward b. Martin for the use OF his recep-
tion room to hold a meeting of protest
against the increase OF fares by the rail-
roads. The Mayor issued n signed state
ment setting forth his reason for the re-
fusal
A few hours later Thomas NJ. Love.
representing Samuel f. Nixon, one Of the
owners of the Garrlck Theatre notified
Mr.. Abbott that Mr.. Nixon had rendered
the use of the playhouse free for the
meeting next Tuesday afternoon at
o'clock. This action was taken because
many patrons of the theatre come from
the suburbs, and it was thought fare
increase might have the effect of cutting
down attendance.
Mr.. Abbott gave out the following
statement:
This Is fiat refusal of the Mayor to
protect his constituents. lie has evaded
the opportunity of allowing all parties to
properly present their various attitudes
This reception room is not so sacred. The
place for a town meeting Is City Hall.
The principal place I'm City Hall is the
Mayors reception room. He has lost an
other opportunity to help"
Mr. Abbott held a conference with the
Mayor this morning In his office adjoin-
ing the reception ROOM Mr.. Abbott de-
| clared the Mayor had taken the stand
that the railroads had not yet been heard
from and that the parties protesting had
not made out a case
Later the Mayor issued the following
statement
THE MAYORS STATEMENT.
THE Mayors reception room has, as
far as I can learn. never been used for
meetings of protest.
The abolition OF strip tickets, which
affected every man, woman and child in
! Philadelphia, created intense opposition,
but there never was a thought of calling
a meeting of protest in the Mayors re-
ception room. Such meetings should be
held In public auditorium.
The proper tribunal to decide the JUS
tice of the increase in fares is the State
Railroad Commission. 70. have no doubt
an equitable adjustment will be procured
II the protest is carried to that body.
"RUDOLPH BLANkENBURG.'
Mr. Abbott declared Mayor Biankenburg
had declined to attend the meeting
of protest. The only word received
from the railroads today, the attorney
said was a letter from William II. Nc
Cormicl, assistant general passenger
agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad set
ting forth that he could not attend the
meeting owing to another engagement.
The Invitations will be out III the
form of post cards addressed to the sec
| retary of each organization and signed
by Edward 3. Martin. chairman of the
| Transportation Committee of the United
Business Mems Association, and Edwin
NJ. Abbott. president of the Oak Lane
| Improvement Association.
The plan of the meeting, as announced
on the postcards, will be to weld all the
individual units of opposition into one
strong central body prepared to fight the
question of the rate Increase to finish.
1t was pointed out by Mr.. Martin that
although the numerous scattered protests
| made to the Public Service Commission
I ia III ntNTlnW
with that body, organization and CO.
operation would be far more effective.
ARGUMENT AGAINST INCREASE,
The, ground for resisting the rate in
crease will be for the most part upon the
lack of necessity for the railroads to
make any such increase. The fight will be
carried directly to the State Public Service
/ Commission instead of to the Interstate
Commerce Commission, for 1t was pointed
out by one of the attorneys cooperating
with the movement that the authority OF
the Public Service Commission was abso-
Lutte so far as intrastate traffic is con-
cerned.
The plan of those promoting the meet
ing is to file three distinct protests with
the Public Service Commission. One Will
deal with the rates OF the Pennsylvania
another with the rates OF the Reading
and the third with the rates of the Baltl-
more and Ohio.
To this end the central organization
| will be subdivided into three bodies, each
composed of commuters along the line
of one of the three railroads, Thus all
civic and improvement associations on
the Pennsylvania will come under one
head, and the same will be true of those
along the lines of the other two rail-
roads,
Provided the Public Service Commission
does not set date for hearing before
the time that the rates become effective
an Injunction will be sought to restrain
the railroads from making the increase.
The Injunction probably will be based
upon the grounds that protests having
been fled with the commission the mat
ter was stiil In allegiance and the rail-
roads have no right 10 increase the rates
until the formal protests have been pass
ed upon by the commission,
Letters will be sent 10 the officials of
| the PENNSYLVANIA, the Philadelphia and
Reading and the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroads inviting them TO send repre-
sentatives to the meeting in order to give
| their side of the question.
| While vigorous opposition will be voiced
| against the increase as a whole, particu-
lar attention will be directed against the
| abolition by the railroads OF the 30 and
! the 100 trip tickets and the increase in
the tickets used by school children.
MERCHANTS COOPERATE.
The Market Street Merchants Assoeia-
tlon was informed Of the planned meeting
while at a dinner in the Bingham Hotel.
They Immediately appointed committee
| OF three. composed of the president.
Frank /. Reiszner, W. ]. Eldrldge and j.
/ S. e. Pardee. TO represent them.
other representatives, will be appointed
| tonight by the various associations along
| the Taain line Of the Reading, meeting at
/ Oak Lane. Mayor Blankenburg, Director
of Public Safety Porter and Acting Super
intendent of Schools William c. Jacobs
10 represent the city and Theodore VOor-
! hees. president OF the Philadelphia ana
Reading Railway, and others have been
/ invited to attend the meeting there to-
night
| Proof that the railroads are awakening
I 10 the magnitude OF the sentiment which
/ has been aroused against the proposed in
/ crease Is shown By a defense which was
/ spread broadcast. by the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company when Il tled no7
I tice with the Interstate Commerce Com
/ mission statlng that faster schedules have
I s4rI ana haftau- arislf MAJ