Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-20
Increase Much Greater.

thousands who have invested their
funds in it's securities.
-.- Increase Much Greater.
Both lines have been doing prac-
tically all the passenger business they
could carry, but the increase in trafnc
in 1916 to 1918 of the Capital Trac-
ton Company, was $50 per cent
greater than that Of the Washington
Railway Company. accountable read
lily on the short-haul theory.
These figures tell their own story.
But the Capital Traction neither
wants relief nor does it want to par
ticipate in the burdens of the other
corporation, but it would, naturally,
accept the added fare that may be
agreed upon. hoping that the Utilities
Commission will dictate that any in
crease must be used for Improvement
to the service. more cars and track
betterment.
A merger, il it could be brought
about, would be a good thing for
Washington; it would reduce over
head charges materially. but, with
the many angles to such a PROPOSE.
ton, it would require a bunch OF
Philadelphia lawyers to evolve
method.
New Men Competent.
In the meantime new men are
wrestling with the proposition. men
with the peoples interests at heart
as we'll as the companys; men VINO
are practical, used to judging credlts.
men who represent ownership IN the
largest single block OF stock OF the
Washington Railway company, whose
reports, when they have deived deep
ly, will carry weight with the Public
Utilities Commission and with Con-
gress. They propose to find out to the
limit, and the Officials OF the street
railway, companies Will give them
their action. when they snail nhaiiy
decide what to do.
1t is not the extra fare alone that
people object to, but 1t is this increase
coming on top of SO many advances,
without even an II you please oy
approval, so that when they are
asked to consent. they naturally re-
fuse, and the public utility companies
and railroads are about the only con-
trollable corporations not partlcipat-
ing in the wild upward flight.
A Dollar Is Worth Fifty Cents.
"A dollar is worth only so cents"
That is on commodity basis; one me
dollar will buy only what SO cents DID
n few years ago.
: George E Roberts, vice president
of the National City Bank. recently
made this declaration and bankers
generally support his ;. views v,sS H. Pol,
erts, that interest as received and
principal as paid will have one-half
of their original purchasing power.
Twenty years ago great political
campaign ragged against a oo-cent
dollar. and it was voted down. But
today we have the 50-cent dollar and
the question is whether it shall be
made permanent.
1T is said that if everything goes
up together every one will De a e
that everything does not go up to-
gether Every one who occupies a
creditor position is wronged by 1t.
Thousands of wage earners are not
+, position to command proportionate
increases in pay. High prices for farm
products and the present prosperity
in the agricultural districts is the
main support of the price and wage
situation today.
The present situation is arihclal
and a readjustment will have to
come
Suggests a Remedy.
Mr.. Roberts expressed the opinion
that a reduction in bank loans would
tend to lower commodity prices and
thus help in reducing the high liv-
ing expenses.
With the broadcast speculative mar
ket Wall street has ever known, with
call loans of over s.. 800, 900, 900 being
used to carry stock spectators, there
is a hint in the suggestion of Mr.
Roberts that might be of interest to
the Federal Reserve Board. Admitted
ly the only thing that prevents the
board from raising the discount rate
is the fact that financing of the vic
tory liberty loan still requires large
discount privileges.
Money borrowed at Az per cent OF
the government is playing big part
in Wall street at to per cent
some even higher. 1t takes little
more than the face value of bonds
for security, so that the profit is no,
low but = 10 To