Evening star., 1918-10-22
Text of Report.
Continuing, the report says:

Continuing, the report says:
supplies and materials used in the
conduct of the railways in many in
stances have increased 100 per cent, so
that it appears from the showing made
before the CommiSSiC.l that the sum
total derived from the fare increase
Plus the present largely increased pas
senger receipts will both be absorbed
in the present abnormal operating eX-
penSeS of the companies and none be
left to increase dividends or add to
surplus profits.
1.-The service rendered to the public
by the companies, it was admitted by
officials OF both roads, has been far
from satisfactory-not what it should
be and not what the companies should
like it to be.
1.-The service rendered is below the
standard. but this is only another in
cident resultant from the economic
conditions created by the war.
when q wage OF between S1,440 and
$1,000 for 300-working-day year
the cars. WHO is to blame?
The Post Office department is eX-
pected TO run without Prolific lie
self-supportins. Since the war the
nail has increased 80 per cent and on
open local m.ii 100 per cent, Yet the
service, despite these heavy war in
creases. is below uorT,tl and the con-
N>A4Na
protest.
This great department of the gov
ernment is i'll nowise to blame. 1t
suffers in common from the same
causes now affecting the operation of
the public utilities corporations in
many of our great cities.
THE suggestion is made that stock
dividends of the companies be re-
''The Capital Traction paid last year
per cent
''rhe Washington Railway and Elec-
trio, 61a per cent on common. per
cent on preferred. \ reduction of l
per cent in the dividend rate on all
stocks would furnish but a moiety of
the wage increase of platform men
: alone.
That the dividend rate now main
tanned appears but fair return seems
borne out by the market price of
stocks. Capital Traction sells now
Is points below par; Washington
Railway and Electric. so points be-
for preferred. :
The further suggestion that the
wages of the employees are fixed too
high is advanced.
bad No Option.
TT was thoroughly established by
the evidence that the companies could
could exercise no option whatever On
these wage increases. After the wage
scale of 43 cents to As cents per hour
was named by the War Labor Board
the companies felt they had no choice
but to put that wage scale into eff
feet Had they not done so the en-
ployeS would have appealed to the
board and appealed successfully.
"a distinct advance was scored in
the citizens fight for free reciprocal
transfers between the several COM
panies. Officials of botn companies
promised and agreed in open court
that II the commission in its wisdom
at this time. should it find the transfer
matter germane TO the present issue
should order transfers no appeal
TO the court from such order would
be taken by the companies. but that
they would waive all technical and
legal objections and accept the order
of the commission as final.
This new position of the companies
on this the peoples question. coupled
with the fact that the bar 10 a final
consideration and determine ton is
now removed by the act of the COM
panies themselves in seeking the ac-
ton of the commission on a rate mat
ter before the physical valuations of
their properties have been completed,
brings close to settlement a matter
that. when decided on the law and the
facts. will bind the two street rail-
way systems together in joint use by
the public, as Congress meant they
should be so used. and for which the
people have waited SO long sand
worked SO hard