Evening journal., 1918-06-06
THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 1918.
IN CONFORMITY WITH THE ADVICE OF THE PREsI-
DENT or THE UNITED STATES


r>HOSE persons who ndulgng such free criticism
L OF the Public Utilities Commission Of this city be
cause Of It's sevent-cent-fare ruling in behalf Of the
Wilmington and Philadelphia Traction Company should
bear these essential facts mind before proceeding too
far in such criticism:
Frst-Thst President wilson recognizing The terrible
plight to which abnermal costs would bring public
utility corporations, publicly appealed several weeks
ago to state and city commissions IN all parts Of the
United States TO meet the necessity for increased rates for
such corporations In order that they might live and
tue TO serve both the ordinary and the needs Of
the territories in which they operating.
Second-That the Comptroller Of the Treasury Of the
United States seconded that Presidential appeal with
all possible onlclal earnesinesss
Thrd-That the Director-General Of Railroads Of the
United states, William 6. McAdoo. who succeeded the
old and dscredited Interstate Commerce Commission in
control Of Interstate transportation lines has announced
high twenty-five per cent in passenger
and freight rates the American railroads the East
Fourtl-Thai and after the tenth day Of June
passengers Of the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Com
pany operating the Hudson tubes between New York and
Jersey City and Hoboken viii have to pay fare Of
ten cents for single trip. This learned yesterday
afternoon from authoritative source which declared
further that official the Increase In
fare Will be made by President W. e. Fisk tomorrow
morning The proposed increase that many Of 4
the passengers who use means Of transportation
daily beigeen the New Jersey cities and New York will
customed TO- while Others will be charged Of
nearly sixty per cent the present charges being five cents
for downtown passengers and seven cents for uptown
passengers The total increase in fares which the
pany will collect result Of the new tariff has been
estimated varousy from s3oOOoO0 100000 annually
olcis announcement Of the increase tomorrow. win de
clare that is ordered by the United states Railroad
Administration which has recently decreed that an lines
operating under Government control shall receive sub
stsnta increase in passenger fares. The Hudson and
Manhattan Railroad Company taken over by the |
Government for operation by the Federal Railroad Ad-
January T. although il February 20
before this fact became definitely known 10 Wall street
Railroad Administrator W. g. McAdoo president
up 10 the time of bis appointment Secretary Of the
Treasury, was taken over as measure and that |
Federal control % 90 operation necessary sue
cessful conduct % ihe work this country It
declared when n the taking over Of
the road was msde mat ias tubes placed under
Federal control 70 insure BITTER transmission of freight
between various railroad tennrsa 90 the New Jersey
side Of the Hudson. and 20 fseIgi through New
York city when necessary - deemad advisable FOR
the Government to take c9fze NJ f8e road 10 order 10
obtain adequate shipping facilities Il v8s pointed ou
Fifth-That in all sections of me United states me
commissions and the companies pressed b, war necessity
and in difference to the general appeal the President
Of the United states and the Comptroller Of Currency Of
the United states. have raised, or are about to raise.
trolley rates.
slxh-That the action Of the Public Utilities Com /
mission Of Wilmington is strictly in line with the advice
ef the President Of the United States and Of the Comp
troer Of Currency Of the United states both Of whom
recognize the imperative war-tin necessity Of keeping
The electric railway systems in fun operation saving
from bankruptcy the companies which operate them
It required courage for the local commissioners 10 /
act No knew better than they thai the step taken
by them would be unpopular They also realized that
political marplois, always avid TO feed and siten upon
public discontent would hasten TO rush TO the feast
Notwithstanding those facts they did the thing they
decided TO be right for them to do to save the
local trolley situation and preserve The service and the
order was issued. Seemingly they willing to sub
NIT to criticism for the time being feeling sure that
ultimately their action would nnd ample justification
In the patriotic common OF the community. no
matter to what extent prejudice may be aroused al
the present time by sef-seeking politicians who are
trying to make political capital out Of Official action
by local commission that based upon the general
request OF President Wilson and his Comptroller Of the