The Washington times., 1918-03-14
POSSIBILITY
J OF CAR LINE
MERGERSOON
TOBE TESTED
by BILL PRICE.

Consolidation Of the two railway
lines OF Washington Is to receive
much attention in the future. owing
to general belief that unless this Is
done, or Congress should take things
in hand and order Government own
ership, the service will nor measure
UP to what it should despite all the
doctoring that may be done unoer
Expert Beeler.
4 curious study in connection with
the situation is that apparently the
majority of Congressman who fully
understand the service here. the
members Of the Utilities Commission.
experts in utility subjects, and most
citizens privately express the belief
that Government ownership promises
the only sure solution of the problem:
FIRST. in guaranteeing service such
as het Capital of the nation should
have, and second. in preventing an
increase in fare which would create
bitter feeling even in this voteless
burg.
Congress Is. measuring theN effect
its probable action for Government
ownership here would have in the
States and Congressional districts.
where utility companies still show
evidences of immense power on cleo
ton days. One member of the Utili-
ties Commission would favor owner
ship If all chance of suffrage in
washington were removed. Marked
is the tendency TO hope that some
thing may turn up that will assure
decent service without the radical
change that Government or munich
pal ownership would bring.
Can q Merger BE FOrceds
Prominent Senators who took part
in the Senate investigation of the
! strike on the Washington Railway
and Electric liens year ago told this
writer that while there ought to be
Government ownership or a merger OF
the two lines. they saw no legal way
by which Congress could compel such
a merger. As to Government owner
ship, they were reluctant TO go into
it. The merger was the easiest way,
as II would reduce salaries, enable re
routing of cars, and bring about a
large saving in yearly expenditures
The people generally would be benz,
flied by improvement of service and
particularly in transfers from one LINE
to another, long a source Of irritation
I under the private double ownerehiI
style.
The legal talent Of the two com
panies-and the STATS OF each' are
large and highly paid-have no idea
that the Utilities Commission can com
pei a merger. Commissioner Gardi'
ner.. long a member Of the District
bar, proposes TO look carefully into
all phases OF the question 70 deter
mine II II is true that the commission
does not have this power. He has re
Gently found Supreme Court decisions
that he will carefully study for the
bearing they may have upon the
street railway problems here. Com
missioner Brownlow, although not a
lawyer, is thoroughly Yersed in utility
| decisions of the courts and will devote
much time to thinking over this ques
ton.
Possible Basis for Merger.
Tho Utilities Commission has re,
Gently entered upon the final stages
OF proceedings to determine the valu-
alton OF the two street car companies
A good many months ago the commits
sion concluded expert hearings on the
valuation of the Washington Railway
and Electric Company. and only 3
| few days ago started hearings that
permit the company's representatives
10 put in their claims as TO valuation
These hearings will go on for a mum
Der OF weeks.
Proceedings as TO valuation OF the
Capital Traction lines are nearer be-
ing closed, but there is still some tes-
timony to be taken.
The point Is that within the next