Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-12
,FAIRNESSFOR ALL,
CLEMENT'SPLAN
New Public Service Com
missioner Discusses
Policy in Office
UPBUILDING is INTENT
Declares He Will Try TO Serve
Public and Corporations
Both Justly

ice corporations, not 10 wreck them to
make their stocks and bonds more val
liable, not to make them worthless TO
help them solve their problems, not to
complicate them and make them i'm
possible of solution-and still and al
ways to safeguard the public interests.
That is to be the policy and the
business of Samuel NJ. Clement. Jr.,
Philadelphia corporation lawyer and ex-
pert in public service operations, who
will be sworn in tomorrow as a mem
ber of the Pennsylvania Public Service
Commission.
In a frank interview, free from bonn
bast and demagoguery and full OF busi-
ness, Mr.. Clement today told how he
came to be nominated for the position
4 by Governor Sproul and what he ex-
poets to do as one or the Governor
personal representatives in the body
that exercises supervision over the pub
lie utilities OF this State.
.sr. Clements nomination and those
of s. Ray Shelby, of Uniontown, ana
Harold Mcclure, of Lewisburg, were
confirmed by the State Senate last night
Succeeds Former Pittsburgh Mayor =
Mr. Clement succeeds former Mayor
William A. Magee, OF Pittsburgh. and
is appointed to serve until July, 1871.
Mr.. Shelby, who is to serve until July,
1928, succeeds Michael J. Ryan, of
Philadelphia.
Mr.. Mcclure. who will serve until
July, 1923, succeeds himself, being the
only one of the three recess appointees
of former Governor Brumbaugh to be
retained hy Governor SDrOul.
"A week ago Governor Sproul called
me to Harrisburg" said Mr.. Clement
who, in his law practice, is associated
with Frank Rogers Donahue, "and told
me he wanted me and the others to
serve on the commission and wanted us
to serve as his personal representatives
He said he believed it my duty to serve
He said / bad had long and wide ex'
perience as counsel and receiver fol
public service companies and this ex
perience fitted me for the post. ] asked
time to consider. Sunday night j tele
phoned the Governor | had decided Il
was my duty TO serve.
without having the Pennsylvania
Public Service Commission in mind, but
emphatically not having 1t in mind,
may say that there has been often a
disposition on the part of State public
service commissions in this country to
to make their operations as difficult as
possible, to complicate their problems
and make them more difficult of so,u
ton. / do not intend to do any of those
things.
VIII Try TO Help Service Corporations
81 think it will be my duty as public
service commissioner to help the publi'
service corporations, to cooperate will
possible way to make them more pros
porous, not to make their stocks an'
bonds worthless, but to make them NOR
valuable, but always, OF course, safe
guarding the public interests.
at will be my duty to assist them il
solving their problems, in increasing ef
ficiency and effecting economy, to tn
end that the corporations prosper an
their employees prosper and the servic
: to the public be improve6and still givel
at right and reasonable cost.
81 will try to eliminate all the re
tape l can, all the technicalities j car
will try to meet all problems and hel
the corporations meet all problems sim
ply, effectively. virtually and exped
tiously-and." Mr.. Clement added wit
emphasis, "openly. There will be onl
one door, and that will be the fror
enc.
~ VIII Not Nag or Harass
There will be no petty faultfindinl
no nagging, no disposition to be hyper
critical, no disposition to harass," wer
on Mr.. Clement. problems that aris
will be met in broad way, big wa,
- they require"
Mr.. Clement was asked IL some publ
service commissioners in the countr
had not sought popular favor by bein
unjustly harsh with public service con
panies. knowing there was some popul;
prejudice in favor of individuals ar
against the companies. Z.
Il believe many of them have" ]
said. THAT is, of course, wrong d
not believe commissioner should cat
= TO any such prejudice where such pref,
dice exists. The rights of the corpori
tion should not be ignored or disr,
.esgarded to please the public, but neithe
Of course. should the rights of the pu
1ic be sacrificed in any degree for IL
pleasure or benefit of the corporation
The commission should have the att
tude of a judge-and altitude of In
partially, a desire to serve and de
fairly and justly with all. That is n
understanding Of the business and Il
d duty of public service commission"
Mr.. Clement was busy in his Off,
today receiving congratulations and wr
ing designations from various positio
s with corporations. principally as cou
sel and counsel for receivers.
He will be sworn in in his Office by [
4 Secretary Of the Commonwealth tomo
row and will sit for the first time
o'clock Monday afternoon at Harr