Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-11
Better Service Quickly.

hC iUSSdA L hpilS y hLhbAto NcitAAiAA'
sion sits as a court of equity to render
impartial justice to the parties to the
issues before it. These parties in
the pending street railway case are %
the travelling public, entitled to ade-
quate and efficient service at reason
able rates; (s) the railway employees.
entitled to fair working conditions and
= living wage; and 81 the owners of
street railway stocks, entitled to a rea-
sonable return in dividends upon their
money invested in good faith.
When the issue of municipal owner
ship arises a fourth party is added to
the list, the District taxpayers.
Clearly the function of the commits
sion is not to assure large dividends
to the stockholders, regardless of ade-
quate compensation to the employees or
of efficient service to the public.
1t is not solely to guarantee high
wages to the employees, regardless
of the equities of the travelling public
and of railway stock owners. 1t is not
even exclusively to provide full and
satisfactory service to the travelling
public, if that service involves either
starvation wages for employees or con-
fiscation of the property or reasonable
earnings of stockholders.
Its function is to give a square deal
and undiscriminating fair play to
everybody.
The immediate issue before the Util-
ities Commission is what free inter
company transfers should equitably be
required from the railways. There is
now NO question of the adequacy or
inadequacy of rates or railway fare di-
rectly before the commission, though
the matter has been fully discussed in
its incidental relation to the question
Of the fair scope of free transfers.
Since the commission has made GER
tain free transfers . condition Of the
grant Of tho fve-cent fare, and since
it retains the power to revoke the FIVE
cent fare II this condition is not met,
It has the power to compel acceptance
by the railways Of whatever free trans
fer arrangement it decides to be nee
essary, equitable and in the public in
terest.
Only . few of the intercompany
transfers suggested by Mr.. Beeler are
questioned by the railways. The main
objection urged is that free transfers
at certain points will add to the al
ready excessive congestion there and
that the travelling public as a whole
win b inconvenienced more instead
Of less at these points under the trans
fer arrangement.
/. The Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company makes the special sepa-
rate plea in regard to one or two of
the transfer points that the arrange
ment will be unfair to it in its rela-
items with the Capital Traction Com
pany; that its net earnings are heavily
reduced by the necessity of operating
many miles Of suburban line, now un-
profitable, but potentially and prospec-
lively valuable a. feeders Of the main
city line; and that free transfers at
these points will be unfair, because
thsy win enable the Capital Traction
line 70 share the benefit of these
suburban lines as feeders, without
sharing at any time tho burden and
expsnse Of operating them. Both COM
pA1ieB indicate that the increase of
fare 70 S cents will not prove to be
adequate. The w. R. & E. suggests
that it will apply for a further in
crease at some future time. But suf-
fcient unto the day is the street rail
way worry thereof. The commission
will get to the bottom of the merits of
the controversy over the few contested
transfer points and render equitable
decision. It will postpone further con-
sideration of the rate question until
an increase or decrease is formally
proposed.
Of the parties before the Public Utili-
ties Commission the employees have re-
ceived an increase Of wages up to the
highest prevailing standard; the rail-
way companies have enjoyed 20 per
cent increase of the passenger fare;
and the travelling public alone is with
out that improvement of wretchedly
poor service to which it is equitably
entitled.
Clearly at the present stage of equi-
table readjustments the travelling pub
lie. including both short-haul and long
haul passengers, must receive primary,
just and even sympathetic considera-
ton. More ears are needed Plant
and equipment in general must be re-
paired or replaced-in some way made
effective. Efficient and loyal operat-
ing forces must be built up. Every
substantially contributing cause to
breakdowns in operation must be
searched out and as far as possible
remedied. Free transfers, where ben
eficial to the public and equitable,
musf he granted Necessary track ex-