The Washington times., 1917-12-27
us. MAY HAVE TO
TAKE over DISTRICT
GARLINESNEN
tcontinusd from Flrst Pasel

Continued from First PageJ
location OF the central power plant Of
the war machine" and this idea per-
yades FEDERAL official eircIea
1t has been practically admitted for
some time that there IL little hope Of
bettering street railway conditions
except through changing the work.
Ing hours Of the Government, 50 that
the peak" load Of the railway lines
may not come at the same hour.
While this may help some. there are
underlying causes for present condi-
lions which officials think can only
be bettered BY one-power control Of
the railway lines Of this city.
At least one Of the street car lines
has been badly disorganized since the
strike OF last spring. The war fol-
lowed that strike. and claims have
been made that II has been impossible
10 obtain and hold competent operat-
Ing forces. Inefacient and green men.
absolutely thoughtless Of any obliEa-
ton TO the public, man the cars. and
DO about as they please The courte
are full Of accident suits growing out
OF this. A high authority has sati-
mated that this line will lose ONE
MILLION DOLLARS as a result OF the
strike and the conditions that have
followed.
How Public May Re Protected.
That the pitifully inadequate car
service the public has rsceivsd win
sooner or later be followed, as In the
case OF the telephone company, By
demands for Increased fares In this
city Is not doubted by Utility Com
mission officials. Here are two rail-
way lines operating under two sets
Of officers. with big salaries on At
least one line. President Hamilton,
Of the Capital Traction. voluntarily
surrendered not long ago one-thIrd
Of his salary. Under FEDERAL or
management the two. lines
would be consolidated and more than
100000 q year would be saved In
salaries. q big item that win lessen
the prospect Of hitting the pocket
books OF the public. How much more
might be saved In car operation may
be estimated.
What the change in personnel
would effect in traffic MANAGEMENT
me the line referred to f. conjectural,
tut utility officials today believed
hat It would quickly restore the
Morale OF the men and result In i'm
nense good TO the city.
MeAao0 Knows Coadftaonn.
Secretary AeAdoo Is personally IA
niliar to some extent with railway
onditions here. He ami every other
,ablnet officer is forced to take cog
izance OF the time lost by clerks In
eporting to work when traffic 70
led up through Inefficient handling.
clerks cannot work sat
IN war times under The
many burdens they encounter--lnahii-
" to get to and from work, low sal.
ries' and high cost OF living. pros
ective increase in gas. telephone. and
treet car rates. ---
The President has not authoeity 70
IKE over the telephone and gas ser
ice In Washington, but Congress
ould quickly put that power in his
ands. II was pointed out today put
nG in one control all the utilities
I the District for the beueflt, OF the
and the people.
Director General 1IcAdoo has the
ower 10 smash the freight embarEoes
nd congestion that have been giving
officials and business
len hours OF deep thought The
had before him when he
rote his epochal proclamatioD . re-
1est OF the Retail Merchants Asso-
alton that he name a freight dicta-
II for the Federal Capital who would
ave authority to compel prompt UNI
aiding OF conslgnments OF freight TO
lie Government and to Washington
1siness men. II Is still the opinion
: R. P. Andrews. OF that association,
lat one-man control of the freight
anger here Is the one sure solution.