Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-15
PUB[lCP PLEASED
| OVER TRANSFERS
Action by Utilities Commits
sion Ends 12-Year Fight,
:, Says Mr.. Clayton.
SURE LINES WILL MERGE

Qualification at the action of the
Public Utilities Commission in order
ing free intercompany transfers at
practically all of the more important
points Of intersection or contact of
the two street railway systems of the
city was expressed generally today
Washington moves slowly in mat
ters concerning improved and mod
ernized public service" said William
NICK. Clayton. chairman of the public
utilities committee of the Federation
OF Citizens Associations. TT is the
tortoise among American cities. But
1t does move.
Ends Long Fight.
action of the Public Utilities Com
mission yesterday in ordering free
intercompany transfers at fourteen
important intersections of the lines
of street railway companies brought to
a conclusion the first phase of
twelve-year fight by residents of the
National Capital--six years of strug-
gle on the part of the citizens associa-
tions-to obtain Public Utilities
Commission that could give US univer-
sal transfers, and then another fight
of six years to get that commission to
act.
In it's six-year fight for intercom-
pany transfers the Federation of Cit
izens' Associations received no help
from any other body of citizens. as it
received no help from anybody in it's
fight for a public utilities commits
sion.
The door to general intercompany
transfers is now ajar. 1t will remain
open until an order for the transfers
still needed and that must be granted
binds the two street railway COM
panies so closely together that a merg-
er Of the companies will be COM
PEELED for all practical purposes. so
far as the public is concerned. 1t is
the public's way of making the COM
panies merge and of compelling them
to give to Washington the final and
inevitable solution of street railway
transportation problems that have for
many years been aggravating and
vexatious.
For Single System.
What the District of Columbia real
~ wants. needs and is going to have,
sooner or later. is one street rail-
way company or system. strictly reg
ulated. and furnishing the service
which the law requires and which the
capital of the United States deserves"
OfncialS Of the two street railway
companies declined today to make any
comments on the order of the COM
mission, stating that they had said
all there was to say at last weeks
hearing.
1t was learned today that pointed
1ntimations have reached officials of
the two companies. presumably eman-
ating from officers of the street rail-
way mems local union, to the effect
that allegations Of dishonesty on the
part OF carmen were unfounded, and
that the men considered such state |
ments as propaganda designed to dis
rupt the union and drive it out of the |
city.
Oficials Of the two companies. how |
ever. unequiyocally denied that any
such idea was back of the reports Of |
serious leakages, and called attention
TO the fact that neither of the COM
partes. at last weeks hearing or at
any other time, criticised employees on
the grounds Of alleged dishonesty, II
waS pointed out that such fntimations
came in the form Of questions from
two members Of the Public Utilities
Commission and from representatives
OF citizens associations and others at
the hearing.