The Washington times., 1919-04-22
BY BILL PRICE.

BY BILL PRICE.
President Westlake, of the Fedora.
ton OF Citizens Associations, today
announced that he has named the fol-
lowing as members Of the committee
OF that organization which is to de-
termine whether an appeal shall be
taken to the courts against the raise
IN telephone rates for the District
made by the Chesapeake and Potomac
Telephone Company with the approval
OF the Postmaster General: J. P.
Crawford, Henry Randall webb, Ed
ward F. Colladay, Charles S. Shreve,
William S. Torbert, Frederick J. Rice.
Mr.. Westlake, who has shown him
self active and alert in behalf OF the
interests Of the citizens OF Washing
ton, is determined that the telephone
raise shall be looked into from all
angles, and IL judicial proceedings can
be maintained in the courts they will
be instituted.
Mass Meeting Friday Night.
Mr.. WestIake has also announced
that a big mass meeting OF citizens
and representatives Of civic and labor
organizations will be held Friday
night in the board room Of the Dis
trict Building, under the auspices of
the federation, for the purpose Of
permitting those present to furnish
facts or to express the views OF their
communities upon the proposed In-
crease in the revenues Of the wash
ington Railway and Electric Com
pany.
The meeting will not be confined
wholly to representatives of eitfzens'
bodies OF the District, but representa-
hWAg
District All who are vitality interest
ed will be welcomed
The meeting is & sequel to that Of
last Friday night, at which President
Ham, Of the Washingto Railway and
Electric Company, before the iarFeSt
gathering Of citizens held Ia the
boardroom in years, answered ques-
lions that had been submitted to him
n writing or verbally.
Because Of the length Of time con-
Sumed by Mr.. Ham in answering the
written questions there were q large
humber OF representative citizens who
lid not have full opportunity to ques-
tion him or to make known their own
views. Mr.. Ham made a good i'm
preston and the citizens present re-
trained from open expression Of their
views because they did not wish to be
accused of "heckling" the head OF the
Hallway.
Probe Matter Completely.
So it was determined to give rep.
resentAtives Of citizens and labor or
Sanizaticns an opportunity Friday
night TO fully express themselves and
20 make suggestions as to what steps
nhould be taken.
The federation Is determined to
sake a stand on the railway question
n the District only after the most
complete investigation OF all phases
Il has heard Mr.. Ham; its representa-
lives have been present at the hear |
ings that have been held before the |
Utilities Commission as to the cal |
for more revenues through a zone |
system or otherwise; il will be rep |
resented at further hearings to be |
held and no "snap" judgment win be |
-aken on the railroads or the public. /
"I now invite all representative /
.ivic bodies in the District and out
side, along the lines Of the railway.
o have their representatives pres
ent." said Mr.. Westlake. today.
The Telephone Situation.
On the telephone situation Mr..
Testlake has asked the committee
named by him to take prompt steps
% ascertain what legal steps, II any,
.houId be taken for the protection Of
he public.
The fact that these rates were
raised without even a hint to the
Public Utilities Commission in ad-
rance is not pleasantly regarded by
he commission or by the public.
colonel Kutz, chairman OF the Utili-
les Commission, was not aware OF
,any until he saw the news in the
In many States where telephone
,ates were raised the Public Service
commissions, corresponding TO our
Utilities Commission. objected to this
action without consulting the juris-
Fiction Of the commissions and
promptly went to the courts for in
JUNCTION proceedings to stop the in
treases. In some States the injunc-
Sons have been denied, and in others
hey have been granted.
Supreme Court TO Decide.
Appeals have been taken from all
ecisions, and the United states Su-
creme Court, recognizing the import
nee Of the issues involved, has
made the appeals special and will
-et al early day for hearings, ad-
,-ancinE them over other cases.
Several cases will be argued. One
s from Massachusetts,, where the
courts upheld the right OF the Post I
IA steT General
In Washington the Public Utilities
commission will not take an appeal
rom the new telephone rates by ask
az for an injunction. II is q semi
FEDERAL institution, its members ap-
pointed by the President. II would
Iot wish to make legal hght on the
General
II any appeal is taken IL must be =
through some process decided on by ?
he Federation. This organiEatieu Is 4
,ot an Incorporated body and could z
rot make an appeal TO the courts.
[ would have 70 DO 50 in the name 9
4 individual citizens who might have c
egaI rights to resist the Increased Il
ates. IN