Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-05-08

II will he seen that the loss for March
was ST., 62S 40 notwithstanding the TACT
that We were then receiving the benefit
ii the increased rates for light and power.
We estimate that il our trolley rates arc
not increased with the present wage scale
our annual loss Will be $4,000
We have ~ All times paid our employees
4. scale Of wages ~ liberal ~ our income
would permit and we gave our tr:nnmcn
IN increase IN January 1918, notwlth-
standing the fact that We would III afford
ta do 50 We must now compete with
the wage scale OF war Industries which
are receiving War prices tor their products
and II Is no longer possible for us to SC
cure or retain sufficient men t. operate
our present trolley schedule ~ our present
rate 81 wages The service IS, therefore,
being curjalled. the ears nvcrcroW ded and
the public Inconvenience. and unless we
can secure an increase al revenue sui
ticlcnt to enable us to give our employees
! substantial wage increase tho CDTtall-
tncnt al service due to lack Of men will
soon become 50 serious 10 result IN
great dctrimCnt 10 the business and IN
aiStrlal activity Of this community
This situation Is rapidly reaching a cr1siS-
= over 30 per cent ri our tralnncn have
left our service IN the past eight weeks 20
seek more lucrative employment else
here and il has been impossible 20 re-
place all OF them We estimate that an
increase Of ) scents An hour m the schedule
III wages paid our tralnmcn Viii result ~
IN increase 81 about $50 600 per annlm
IN operating expenses
Based upon tho experience Of The past
FIVE wears It will bc necessary Tor the
company Ia spend ont 81 is earnings III
order to comply with rs paving q .hgatlonS
within the city OF " Wilmington the sum
ii about SIS 600 per wear Tor 1918 the
expenditure Should be larger than th'>
amount rs the track and paving nu
Delaware avenue from TAtrAll 10 Scott
streets should bc rclaid and the c~ti-
mated cost 81 our portion q the work is
100000 il viii be impossible for us 10
~, far any ii The paving and track work
IN 1915 unless we get an increase IA trolley
fare
The critical situation confronting the
Wilmington & Philadelphia Traction Co.
a. outlined above Is not confined TO that
company or 10 the city Of Wilmington. but
l. one that Is facing the pubic utility
companies Of every State III the mon.
IL viii be seen from the annual report ui
the Hon. John shelton Williams comp
troller OF the currency Of the United
States. III hlcti he states
.lt l. essential that iorebearance and
constellation To- exercised 10y the state
commissions and municipal authorities
and that the corporations also be per
United To make such additions to Their
charges Tor service as will Keep ID them
tne breath of sOivcucy. protect their oN Ii
ers against unjust loss and give them
basis of credit on " hIch they HAY obtain
funds with which u meet the STRAIN put
on them by government needs be
breaking down Of these corporations
would be q national calamity
Mr.. William g. McAdUO, secretary
Of the treasury Of the nltcd states, Wa
50 Impressed with the extreme necessity
of the public utilities that he addressed
= letter to the President OF the | nItcd
states. dated February -, 1918, IN
which he said
Our public service utilities are closely
connected with and are an essential part
Of our preparations Tor and successful
prosecution OF the war and the lill-
favorable tendencies which the accom-
p1nving papers reveal may most Ell
fcctivelv be checked. wherever they NAV
be found To exist and the needed reiiei
obtained only by prompt action on the
part Of the respective local authorities
earnestly hope that you may feel justified
IN the conviction that the vital part which
the public utilities companies represent
IN the life and war-making energy Of the
nation ought to receive fair and Just recog-
milton b. State and local authorities
HE President 81 the | Hitcd states
replied to this letter as follows
II have examined with care the
memoranda and letters which you trans
united 70 me with your letter Of the
fifteenth fully share the views you
cApres, regarding the Importance 81 the
pubhc service utilities IS q part Of our
national equipment, especially in war
tune IL Il essential that these utilities
should BE- maintained 1T their maximum
efficiency and hat everything reasonably
possible should b done with that end