Evening star., 1915-01-29
American Electric Railway As.
sociation in Conference at
Willard Hotel.
PRESIDENT WILSON TALKS
TO BIG BUSINESS MEN
Telephone and Other Electrical Of
ficials Cite Need Of Gaining
Peoples Friendship.

The foremost men in the electric rail.
way industry Of the United States. rep
resenting q capital investment OF $4.-
0O0, ,O0O. 900, gathered in Washington to-
day to listen to discussion OF code
of principles" adopted by the American
Electric Railway Association. of which
they are members. the most striking
feature of which, as they expressed It
is the desirability. even the necessity
from their point OF view. of friendship
in future between the users of street
cars and the public service corpora
tionA
The gathering is in session at the
New willard Hotel. the occasion being
the mid year meeting" of the associa-
tion, Washington having been selected
this year for the convention 1or the
first time.
This afternoon the delegates are lis
tening to an address by President VIII
son, who consented to speak to them
extemporaneously. beginning It 8
o'clock, on some problems of business
in the United States at the present
time.
The President was confronted by a
distinguished audience. for among the
500 delegates there were not not only only
executive officers of the big electric
street railway systems of the country,
but men like Guy E. Tripp. chairman
Of the board Of directors of the West
inghouse Electric and Manufacturing
Company; N. c. kingsbury, vice presi-
dent of the American Telephone and
Telegraph Company, and others con-
nected with industries allied In the
electrical field were present.
To Win Public Trust.
President Wilson followed Senator
rohr w of Mocca u,bo
spoke on recently adopted financial leg
islation and its effect on corporations
of the street railway class. Aside from
President Wilson's speech. which was
in progress when The Stars report
statements made by the public service
officials. which served to show the
marked change from the policy of reti-
cence and secrecy which has character
years to a new policy which the Ameri-
can Electric Railway Association and
other public service corporations, such
as those in the telephone industry. have
determined to adopt. in the way OF full
publicity as to the details Of their deal
win the friendship of the people.
The keynote speech of the meeting
was intended to be that of T. S. Will
liams, president of the Brooklyn Rapid
transit company. ne Was uIid Ule 10 pe
present, his address being read fo him.
1t was an analysis of the Code of Prin-
ciples" adopted by the association, and
although the declaration in regard to
publicity was the last and tenth in the
code. 1t was noted that In this address
as in others most stress was laid upon
that provision.
Evils have arisen." Mr.. Williams
wrote. "but history will determine the
relative responsibility for them There
franchise givers and franchise takers,
and we should not forget or forgive.
The remembrance of these will be a de-
terrant in future.
There is q. mutual responsibility be-
tween the public and the carrier. The
failure to appreciate the obligations of
the railroad to the public is constantly
public toward the carrier is often con-
femptuously repudiated.
"Town and country upbuilding all over
the United States has followed the lead
Of the railroad builder. but people for
get and overlook the services of these
men. It is proper to ask for justice
and fair play. If you expect the street