The Washington times., 1920-04-18
CARFARE RISE
CAUSES CLASH
Clayton and Shreve Stage ver-
bal Combat At Citizens
Meeting.

a.
chairman OF the committee on public
utilities, and c. S. shreve. chairman
or the com mmittee on law and legisls-
tion' punctuAted the reading OF re-
port by the former at a meeting OF
the Federation OF Citizens Clubs In
the District building last night. op-
posing the increased Scent fare con-
cession granted to the two traction
companies.
A question OF verscity was raised
oy ShTove, and Chairman w. b. West
lake. OF the federation. was Obliged
To call for order before the reading
could be completed.
At one stage of the proceedings,
lciayton shook his fnger menacingly
at Mr.. Shreve and said, "We'll scrap
this out In another way"
See Obstruction To Merger.
A number, of other delegates Joined
in the controversy, declaring that
Clsyton's report reversed the pre-
Nious position OF the federation In
opposition to Government ownership,
and that II placed obstacles In the
way OF q merger of the two traction
systems.
Four sections Of the recommends
ttions In the report were adopted,
nevertheless. A NTH was withdrawn.
Mr.. Clayton, who has been chairman
Jyof the public utilities committee for
4 years. rendered his resignation last
pnight because OF pressure OF other
duties, and was given a vote OF
thoanks for his services.
The recommendations adopted
were:
I. Rehearing by the publiv utili-
ties commission on the Scent fare.
2-The committee petitions Con-
gress for a merger of all street rail
ways In the District without delay.
3-That the federation favor a tax
on net receipts Of both railway COM
i,panies, rather than on the gross, re-
jceipts.
Il, THAT the federation asks that
fcrossing policemen be paid from the
general tax fund.
wage Provisien Dropped.
A fifth provision aroused protests
from the floor and was withdrawn. 1t
ikead: Neither the wage increase of
fs1So.000 OF the Capital Traction Com
pany, nor the 100000 OF the Wash
shnGton Railway and Electric Com
pany should have been granted at
been invited in and consulted by both
rhe companies and employees"
Chairman Shreve, of the law and
leRislation committee. interrupted al
,imost at the beginning of the reading
tof the report, declaring the report out
of order as several of it's provisions
were in opposition to q stand pre-
viously taken by the federation.
1T doesn't mean a thing" ne ex-
claimed.
clayton countered by charging that
Shreve's committee did not put In an
appearance when District railway leg
al a Congress-
ional committee.
'Mr. Clayton is not telling the
truth" criew Shreve, jumping up.
"Well scrap this out in another
way" said Mr.. Clayton, shaking his
finger at the objector. He continued
the reading under a ruling OF the
chair.
westlake Breaks Tie Vote.
The vote on acceptance Of the
recommendations stood IL to IL,
Chairman Westlake casting the decid
ing vote in their favor.
Two delegates, Capt. George w.
Evans and Albert s. Shoemaker,
sought to obtain endorsement of the
bill by Senator Jones of Washington.
prohibiting street car fares in excess
of 6k cents within the District.
r. s. Field, delegate from the Ken
dlworth association, announced that
his association might seek an injunc-
tion against application of the Scent
rate through an amendment to its bill
of complaint in q suit started some
time ago and st.ll pending. This
suit was to restrain the companies
from charging cents for transfers
on their own lines. The transfer
charge was discontinued, and the suit
was not prosecuted. but is still alive,
Mr.. Field said.
The Federation went on record
against repeal of the $3.50 plan for
District maintenance, and against the
increase in taxes from III to 2is per