The Washington times., 1918-01-01
1918 USHERED.
IN WITH MANY
PROBLEMS FOR.
TO SOLVE.
BY BILL PRICE

Troublesome 1917 turned into the
laps of Washington's city fathers,
civic organizations, and leaders for
settlement in 1918 long list of Sc
rious problems upon which the eyes
Of all citizens will be daily turned
Other cities are not without SINH
lar troubles, but no other city in the
country is identically situated with
this, simply because there is no other
Capital of the nation; no other mu-
nicipality so clearly and closely
identified with the National Govern
ment in sharing with the latter the
working out of numerous great ques-
tons brought by the war.
Garry Heavy Burdens.
Washington's city fathers-the Dis
trict Commissioners-aret today carry
ing greater burdens than those of any
other municipality, due to the fact
that Congress saddIed upon these ex-
scutIves the duties of handling and
deciding utilities matters. The Dis
trict Commissioners, every week, al
most every day, do the legerdemain
trick of converting themselves into a
Utilities Commission and of again IN
winding into the Board OF Commits
aioners for the transaction Of munich
pal routine. 1t may be good for the
District for these men to keep in d.
rect touch with every municipal ques-
tion, but whether three human beings
can do it all. with Justice to them
GG1wv Ra ~
seen.
Congress is debating whether II will
not create a Utilities Commission sep
arate from the District Commission
0rs, providing men who will devote
themselves wholly to utility PROPOSE
lions, which, IL the war continues,
will be constantly arising-not the
small details that can be handled by
subordinate employees, but the larger
questions broadly touching the rights
Of the utilities corporations and the
public.
Their Long List.
As District Commissioners and Util-
files Commissioners the three execu- ;
tive directors of Washington and
nursing a list something like this:
Betterment OF street railway ser
vice that has become a menace to |
everybody, the Federal Government
inpluaed.
Proposition of the telephone COM
pany that 1t be allowed to increase its +,
rates to the public, which must gen.
erously overlook the service it has re-
ceived and may continue to receive.
Request Of the gas companies to be |
allowed to increase rates, that stock |
holders may have suitable dividends. |
Fight in the courts by the Potomac |
Electric Light Company against the |
action of the Utility Commission in
lowering the rates of electric Hght to |
Washington consumers:
Probability that school children |
OF Washington may go without in
Gtruction in many schools, because 1
competent school teachers can not af- |
ford to work for 5000 a year, and |
have been quitting the schools in |
droves to accept better paid employ
ment in the Government service.
Complete RearranEement.
Complete Encouragement of garbage |
collection and disposal, one contractor
having a monopoly of the work and
contending that he will lose money
another year.
The effectiveness July of the alley
elimination law that will throw out
OF the alleys OF Washington 1900 TO
10000 people, mostly colored, leaving
$500 houses unoccupied, and the big
question as to what is to be done to
house these people.
The general subject of housing in
Washington, which, although now TN
der Quasi-government control, still
must receive local official and civic
attention and effort
The threat of tie-up of business in
all parts of the city by reason of
freight embargoes and congestion.
The obtaining from Congress OF ap-
preparations that Will deal fairly with