The Washington times., 1917-11-30
SURVEY WILL
AFFORDEARLY
RELIEF IN CAR
SERVICE HERE
BY BILL PRICE.

Leading street railway experts OF
the United States will next week be-
gin work upon a careful survey OF
street railway conditions in Wash.
ington, under the employment OF the
Public Utilities Commission.
This survey Is to be preliminary to
definite action by the commission for
the relief Of q situation that Is be
coming Intolerable to Washington peo-
PIE, and must be corrected at the
earliest possible moment
Official announcement Of the Sc
lection Of the experts is held in abey-
ance, but The Times has indisputable
information today for saying that the
Utilities Commission is about ready to
make public the names of the men
who have been or will be engaged
for this important work The great
est care has been taken In their Sc
lection, the commission wishing to Sc
cure men in whom the public and the
commission will both have unlimited
confidence. The negotiations for the
experts has been in progress some
tina.
InnedIate Relief.
ne instruction to be given the In
NestiEators 70 TO ascertain and report
AZ soon a. practietble upon two Ques-
tions-vhat is best to be done to give
Immediate relief TO the annoying and
irritating conditions here, and what
should be done to provide permanent
relief.
These men, acquainted with trac-
tion management OF the most modern
character in all the large cities OF the
country and with AL The latest
msthods for coping with the handling
Of transportation difficulties. VIII
have carefully impressed upon them
the necessity for reporting 10 the
Commission Recommendation that
may solve the difficulties here In rec
ord time, but At the same time to
take into consideration the demands
Of the future that must be met As
washington's population continues 70
leap By the Thousands at . time
All phases Of the traction situation
here ars TO be gone into and the
utilities Commission feels that II will
obtain an. impartial report regardless
OF what companies or what tndiyid-
uals, II any, may come under crtti-
ciam. The Commission wants the
facts, fair and uninhueneed, and has
no doubt II will get them.
sitnation Getting wOrEe.
Tor many days the three Commits
sioners of the District, who likewise
constitute the. Utilities Commission,
have been IN daily session con-
sIderfng conditions. Each member
Of the commission has pondered and
worked. The views of the experts
connected with the commission have
been taken into consideration, and the
conclusion was reached that the ad-
vice Of wOll-IZnown outside experts
should be had before action Is taken.
There have been before the com
mission questions OF trying to relieve
the strain on the street railway lnes
by asking the Government depart
ments to change working hours, 30
that all the rush may not take place
at the same time; OF constructing sub
ways; Of requiring the building Of ad-
ditional lines: of forcing the railways
to operate more cars on lines many
Of which are woefully congested now;
of licensing jitneys TO operate more
freely. In fact, nothing has Gppar-
entity been overlooked
As to changing government work
Ing hours the commission has con-
suited the Council of National De
Tense, which is now working on the
idea In conjunction with the problem
of housing the thousands Of al
ditional Government clerks and work
ers being called here every day. Cabi-
net members have not been consulted
pending consideration by the Council
of National Defense, and nothing fur.
fher will be done along this line until
the new body of experts has had time
10 report Having the Government
TO cooperate in putting employees to