Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-30
Engineer Declares
For POlUer Dictator
Continued from Pace One

NOutinueO from rage Vne
power from private sources The off.
cials contend that it would cost too
much to make the proper connections
The method they suggest for connec.
ton is costly. And it is also the best
method. But cheaper methods could
be adopted in view of the fact that
this is national emergency.
I'm justice to the Philadelphia Elec.
trio Company it must be said their oper.
attn gdepartment has performed splen.
did work. For the last fourteen months
the entire plant has betn running tor
speed. with no opportunity Off a shut.
down for repairs. Yet the service has
been maintained without interruption.
THE company also must be credited
with having warned Govtrnment Off.
cials at the start of the. war that q
power shortage would develop unles,
proper precautions were adopted.
There has been an almost fatal slow.
ness at Washington, however. The de.
lay in building the Beach and Palmer
streets power station Is case in point
The company began construction soon
after the war started, but was forced to
cease because it did not obtain expected
financial help from the Government
Months Of talk and investigation have
passed without result. The matter II
still in the air and no work has beer
done on the plant for more than a year.
Even If financed at once. this station
cannot be put in operation now in less
than year" -
The four men who are supposed to bt
directing the ALLEGATION Of power In this
| district are Mr.. Stevens himself, fol-
the Federal fuel administration; Mr.
Trig, for the war industries board
Major McLaren. for the war prioritie,
| board, and F. w. Ballard, for the Emer
gency Fleet Corporation.
Such state Of affairs is manifestls
| wrong" said Mr.. Stevens. Under the
ed to do anything
Mccall Replies to Piez
In reply to the assertion of Mr.. Pez
that these corporations will not limit
themselves to their immediate needs but
seek to obtain loans on easy terms
at a low rate of interest" Mr.. Mccall
said:
"lf Mr.. Piez wss correctly quoted in
his newspaper interview regarding the
suggested terms for the cooperation of
the Federal Government with the Phila-
delphia Electric Company in financing
a plan for extensions of the plant to
meet extraordinary war conditions. he
certainly is not familiar with the facts.
In every case all estimates for power
requirements were based upon the con-
clusions of Government engineers after
a complete survey and investigation by
them of the conditions. ! have written
Mr.. Piez fully informing him as to what
has been done by this company to meet
the situation. and what we have been
advised We should expect from the Gov
ernment. the terms being entirely satis-
| factory to the Representatives OF both
interests in our conference.
THE Philadelphia Electric Company
has agreed to take ever afttr the war
at a fair appraisal. all property In which
Government funds shall be invested to
meet war conditions.
ANY statement or intimation that this
comneny desires to profit In any wa,
by this siuation Is absolutely false. Ir
the face Of Extraordinary conditions. /,
has performed its full duty and vii
continue to do SO.
II entirely agree with the statement
creSited to Mr.. Piez. that there have
been INVESTIGATIONS fer many months, buI
they have not resulted in any NOR,
power What we need IL power, rather
than surveys and Investigations