The Washington herald., 1919-06-20
GIVE C0MPANY
| SIx-CENT Fare,
| URGES CLAYTON
But Extra Penny Must Be
For Service and Not
Dividends.
WOULD PAY 7 CENTS
Rep. Fitzgerald Advocates
Abolishing Utilities
Commission.
WOULD PAY 7 CENTS

outstauoAuB ooVolOptuehts yc6ter-
day in the Widespread dissatisfac-
ton which has accompanied the 3
cent transfer charge authorised by
the Public utilities Commission for
the financial relief Of the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company
were:
1. An anpouncement by william
NICK. Clayton. representing the Fed
Grafton of Citizens Associations.
that his organization would not op-
pose a straight scent fare for the
w. R & E.. providing the Public
Utilities Commission Is permitted to
spend the additional penny granted
for the improvement of the servic,
and not for paying dividends.
z A suggestion from Representa-
tive Fitzgerald that the Public Utili-
ties Commission be abolished and a
commission be appointed to take over
the affairs OF the company and insti-
tute a service at cost plan.
Must Improve Service.
Mr.. Clayton made 1t plain that un-
der no circumstances would he, rep
resenting the federation, indorse a g.
cent fare unless IL was made abso-
lutely mandatory upon the company
to follow to the letter orders issued
by the Public Utilities Commission
for Improvement of the service.
81 believe that when the Commits
sion granted the 2-cent transfer
charge under the existing law. they
should have applied the same statute
to the enforcement of its orders for
Improvement in the service" he said
The federation il decidedly op-
posed to the 2-cent transfer as
well as to the proposed zone sys-
tenn. To begin with the 2-cent
transfer is an irritating tax on the
people of the District and does not
afford the company the relief neces-
sary to make the required improve
meDts IN service and equipment.
< Neutrality-suspicious. will not object
to a fiat fare of 6 cents IL the
present poor service is materially
bettered. To better the service the
company must put additional cars
on the street. maintain a better
schedule on all of its lines and
make extensive improvements on
the present Iolling stock and track
age
VIII Fight Zone system.
"A zone system will not meet with
favor with the people. and the fed
Grafton proposes to fight any such un-
just measure. While the downtown
-
fected by a zone system, people liv-
ing in the suburbs would be up against
the proposition of paying more than
twice as much money for car fare
as under the fat rate.
AT present the Washington Rail-
way and Electric Company nets 2
cents on every transfer. The law un-
der which this charge was permitted
specifically states that the company
make certain improvements in service
and equipment. Up to the present
time the Utilities Commission has not
seen At to enforce this law.
IF the commission see At to
grant the Washington Railway and
Electric a 6-cent fare and holds the
Capital Traction down to the pres
ent scent rate. no benefit would
ing for financial aid.
The matter of spending the ad-
ditional funds obtained by charg-
ing cents for each ride should be
one for the commission to have
jurisdiction over. II under the law
the commission lacks this authority
IT must be remembered that there
is a Congress from whom legisIa-
tion on this matter can be OBJ
tanned"
Wants Service mt Cost.
Representative John F. Fitzger-
aid. in discussing the possibility
of the Washington Railway and
Electric Company being granted an
increase in fare. expressed the opin-
ion that instead of the present
method a commission be appointed
to take over tho fffairs of the COM
pany and institute a service at cost
plan.
The Commissioners of the Dis
trict," said Mr.. Fitzgerald. have
enough to do under the present ar
rangement without handling public
utility matters and in my opinion a
separate and distinct commission
should be appointed to handle such
matters.
II believe that service at cost
should be the system to be used here.
If, in the opinion of the Commission.
that would solve the problem.
would say give them all the money
that is needed. provided the service
is good.
"In Boston the carfare will soon
be 10 cents. However. such a condi.