Evening star., 1919-03-15
CITIZENS SEEK AID
AGAINST H|GRRATES
Funds Asked to Secure Law
yer to Appear at Commits
sion Hearings.
RAIL FIGURES CHALLENGE

If plans which were formulated
Thursday night by the Citizens Civic
Association matcrialize. the residents
of Washington will have a strong ad-
vocate in able legal counsel, to be en-
gagged. to contest and oppose the ef-
forts OF public utility corporations to
increase their rates. Tho meeting held
in Musicians Hall was attended by
representatives of organized labor.
Citizens Associations and others.
Following a lengthy discussion OF
the efforts OF the street car. the cleo
trio power and the gas companies to
secure from the Public Utilities Com
mission the authority to further in
crease their rates the decision was
reached that the only way to fight
what was termed the hog combine"
was to employ an attorney to collect
the necessary data and go before the
commission and fight the legal battles
'of the people against the efforts OF
the public utility corporations TO fur
ther tax the public.
Will Appeal for Funds.
~ pioNluS ioI lit Shpics -
an able attorney an appeal will be
made to labor. civic and other organi-
cations for liberal contributions to
defense fund. J. w. Ginder of the
Federal Employees, Association. the
chairman and presiding officer OF the
association, room 439 United states
Treasury building, was authorized to
receive contributions to this fund.
This committee. to be known as the
public utilities committee, was ap-
80 nft u1l a r
of the public utilities commission:
Frank Nolte. B. w. Payne, ]. W.
Ginder. Roscoe Jenkins. George A.
Ward and f. s. Jordan. This commit
tee will attend these hearings before
the Public Utilities Commission: March
81. washington Railway and Electric
Company seeking an increase in fares:
March 27. Potomac Electric Power
Company seeking restoration oil old
rates, and April .. when 1t is proposed
to anuul the regulations OF 1913 Tor
street car operation.
Propose Referendum Vote.
A motion unanimously adopted pro-
vides that some arrangement oe mace
with the local papers for the taking
OF a referendum vote to determine
these three questions:
Are you in favor of municipal
ownership of the street car lines'f
Are you in favor of private-ownsd
street car lines under municipal con-
trol"?
do you favor the consolidation of
the street car lines under private or
municipal ownership?
George A. Ward. representing the
Columbia Heights Citizens Associa-
tion, who has given the subject close
study asserted that in every one of
the charters of the street railway
companies there is a proviso that tho
lines shall sell six tickets for Is cents.
He denied the right Of the Public
Utilities Commission to increase the
rates above that figure. contending
that the law creating the Public
Utilities Commission could not revoke.
amend or annul the charters or the
companies, that power being vested
in Congress; that the charters had not
been amended by the Public Utilities
Commission law and that the in
creased fares we're without authority
He further called attention to the act
of Cangcess of 1894 which provides
for universal transfers between the
various lines of the street railway
companies "at all connecting points.
These two legal questions Will be
among the first taken UP by the asso-
ciations attorney.
Figures Are Challenged.
B. W. Payne Of the Federal Employes
Association challenged the truth of the
figures published by the Washington
Railway and Electric Company which
showed that the company company, Is s, .os,nG
fare. He declared that the figures
were anything but the truth of the
financial condition of the company
and "are intended to deceive the peo-
Of the books of the corporation by an
expert to be employed by the asso-
citation.
Capital Traction Company and repre-
senting the Street Car Mems Union.
Division No. 6S9. declared that the
failure-of the street car companies to
give service was due to their own
mismanagement. His organization.
with representatives of the union on
the Washington Railway and Electric
Company, will send special commit
tee to the next meeting OF the asso-
citation to offer suggestions as to how
traffic conditions may be greatly i'm
proved.
The next meeting of the association
will be held March 27.
organizati.ns ns Represented.
These organizations are now MEM
bers of the association and were rep
resented at last nights meeting: Co
lumbia Citizens Association. North
tion; Federal Employees. Central La
Dor Union, Marine Engineers. United
of Carpenters and Join
ers. Metal Polishers, Metal Trades
Council. Steam Engineers. Ordnance
Men, navy yard; National Women's
Trade Union. International Associa
ton of Machinists. Sheet Metal Work
ers. School Custodians and Janitors,
High School Teachers Union, Jour
neymen BARRIERS. International Book
binders, Boilermakers and Pattern
makers.
GEORGE HODGES DIES.
Was Director of Troop Movements
mnder Railway Control.