The Washington times., 1919-04-19
7CCARFARE
ISESSENTIAL
HAMS BELIEF
w. R. & E. President BareS
Inside Workings of Road at
Public Quizzing.
by BILL PRICE.

DILL EhACEs
Public utilities history was made
last night when President Ham, OF
the Washington Railway and Electric
Company, faced representatives OF
the public in the first quizzing per-
formance OF a public utility corpora
tion ever known in this country.
Mr.. Ham and w. 3. Westlake, pres
ident of the Federation of Citizens
Associations. who presided, both COM
mented upon the fact that no such
an event had ever before been
staged. Mr.. Ham said he was glad to
submit to questions Of every kind in
a wholesome desire to bring about CO
operation between his company and
the public. He said he recognized the
public as one Of the three factors in
street railway operation, the other
two being the employees and the in
vestors in the property. Good service
TO the public. fair wages TO employees,
and reasonable returns to investors
were all, he said, that fair-minded men
desired.
QuiEEed Informally. Too.
Not only did Mr. Ham answer large
number of ready prepared questions
submitted by a committee from the
federation, but when this was finished
he proceeded to answer many infor-
NAL questions asked by citizens pres
ent in the large audience, which more
than filled the board room Of the Dis
trict building. It was midnight when
the gathering adjourned.
Few Of the questions asked were OF
a friendly nature and many Of them
were entirely irrelevant to the pending
question of additional revenues or
even 70 the past history Of the com
pany. Still Mr.. Ham, with a smile on
his face. answered so frankly and
fully as to make a good impression on
his big audience of representative
citizens.
The trend OF the questions indi-
Gated the greatest hostility to zone
system for Washington. Mr.. Ham
said his company was not wholly
committed TO this plan, but owing
70 the difference in the financial con-
ditions of the two competing COM
panies in the District, he saw no
other equitable method Of authoriz-
ing the further revenue, which it
was imperative his company should
have, IL ii Is to continue giving SER
vice to the public. Personally he be-
HeVed that a zone system would be-
come general in this country. 1t was
the only way of measuring the ser
vice given. Citizens who obtain gas
and water pay for the quantities they
use. They do the same thing in
grocery store. They should be
charged, for the mileage they ride.
Mr.. Ham said that if the Capital
Traction did not need an increase in
fiat fare, his company would be com
PEELED to have at least 7-cent fare
TO obtain sufficient revenues, owing
TO the large number of people who
would go to the Capital Traction to
ride.
Ask Only Fairness.
President Westlake said the fed
Grafton wished to get all the informa-
tion possible that il might take
proper action and make fair recon-
Ynendations to the Utilities COmmis-
sion. 1t did not desire TO be unfair 1
70 the railroad but did wish to pro- !
tect the interests Of the public.
The 'quizz" did not result in any 4
important new developments. The /
1acts brought out have in the main :
been repeatedly covered in The Times.
There were a number Of details Of in .
lerest, however.
The most important facts developed
we're these:
The Washington Railway and Elec-
tric Company is now earning only ! y
Ter cent on its capital stock Of S15,-
0OO, 900.
That amount Of capital stock was
authorized by Congress after careful
and exhaustive hearings.
The capital stock. Mr. Ham asserted, ,
represented actual value.
There is no more water" in the
common stock than in the preferred.
Congress did not prescribe common"
md preferred" These names were
matters Of details in arranging the
financing which followed the enact
ynent of the law authorizing consoli-
dalton Of all lines in the city into the
washington Railway and Electric.
The company, from weakness to be-
gin with, worked itself to a high posi-
ffon in a financial way. It seemed 4
shame TO destroy its credit now by re-
fusinE TO give IL the necessary reve-
nue. to exist upon.
The company has no animosity TO .
labor, and willingly abides by all the
regulations Of the War Labor Board
IT has no thought Of reducing the /
wages Of its employees.
The fundamental questions are:
Does the company need revenue and
row is IL to be raised? The company
positively cannot go forward on its
rresent basis.
MEsf Raise Rates.
Heavy increase in cost OF service,
Known to everybody, must be recon-
nepsed by increase OF rates.
Service OF the company now fair
and company is not "skimping' on
betterment, even with low finances.
with the obligation TO give good
service goes the obligation on the
part Of the public 70 permit reason
able returns,
Few Of present stockholders OF the
company, over half OF them Washing
tonians, were owners OF the original
stocks.
The company is virtually managed
By the Public Utilities Commission.
Stockholders OF several suburban