New Britain herald., 1918-02-26
ADMINISTRATION IS
 LOOKING FOR HELP
Thinks Public Utilities Are Hay.
 ing Hard Time

The management Of the Connecti- l cut company. which has been sub 1 1ected to- much criticism in this city 1 iiS well as elsewhere throughout the ! state where this system holds a franchise, states that due to eco homie conditions it is very difficult to rcndcr the service which is demand ed. And to show that the president and secretary of the treasury are both cognzant of the actual condi- t1on& the following statements from both Of these officials are given out that the public too, may got a diff 1erent view of the situation:
 Treasurer McAdoo's Appeal.
 Herewith is printed MT McAdoo's letter to the president relative to these affairs:
 Dear MT. President--1 beg to hand you herewith several memor- anda and letters relating to street railway and other local public utili- ties furnishing light, heat, and power. which l have been asked to bring to your attention by q committee repre- scnting public utility interests.
 '"These papers indicate the exist cnco of genuine apprehension regard
 
 ditions, of the services and rates of local public utilities The view is ex- pressed that increased wages and the high cost of essential materials and supplies have affected them as they have affected everybody else, and that united effort will be necessary in or der to meet alike the public require mcnts for service and the corporate financial needs upon which that serv- ico depends.
 AS Secretary of tho Treasury must take oflical notice of these mat ters. It is obvious that every part of our industrial and economic life should he maintained at it's maximum strength in order that each may con tribute in the fullest measure to the vigorous prosecution Of the war. Our local public utilities must not be per mitted to become weakened. Trans portation of workers to and from our vital industries and the health and comfort of our citizens in their homes are dependent upon them, and the necessary power to drive many of our war industries and many other indus tries essential to the war is produced by them It may be that here and there, because of the prominence given to less important interests inn m ediately at hand, State and local au- thoritics do not always appreciate the close connection between the sound ness and efficiency of the local utili- ties and the national strength aud Nigor, and do not resort with Suffi- cient promptncSS tu the call for remedial measures. Tn such cases, I am confident that all such State and loci authorities will respond promptly 1, h ,,ti al Is ,x+(,N ttay- is fairly and properly brought before them.
 Our public service utilities are close ly connected with and are an essential part of our preparations for and sue ccssful prosecution of the war. and the unfavorable tendencies which tho accompanying papers reveal may most be checked. wherever they may be found to exist, and the needed relief obtained, only by prompt action on the part of the respective local i authorities.
 "I earnestly hope that you may feel justified in expressing the eonvic- 1 tion that Inc vital part Which the 1 public utilities companies represent in i the lifo and war-making energy of 1 the nation ought to receive fair and l just recognition by. stato and local 1 aut h critics. .-la @ l
 Cordially yours,
 tSigncd) "W. C. MrADOO. 1 'The President. the White House."
 President Wilson's Reply.
 Here is the presidents reply:
 The White House, Washington. My Dear MT. Secretary
 II have examined with care the l memoranda and letters which you ] transmitted to me with your letter of l tho fifteenth, I fully share the views 1 you express regarding the impor- 1 tance of the public service utilities as i part of our national equipment, cs- 1 pccially in wartime. If is essential l that these utilities should bo main 1 tained at their maximum efficiency ! and that every thing reasonably pos 1 sble should be done with that end ;n , view ! hope that state and local 1 auth critics. where they have not all ready done so, will when the facts 1 are properly laid before them, re spond promptly to the necessities of 1 the situation.
 "I shall be glad to have you com municatc with tho local authorities whenever the information in your l possession suggests that such g. course is desirable and in tho national interests.
 Cordially yours,
 (Signcd)
 WOODROW WILSON. "Fron William q. McAdoo, Secretary
 of the Treasury"