The Washington times., 1920-02-10
W.R E.ONROAD
FOR. Receiver
President Ham Assails Failure
Of Utilities Commission to
Furnish Relief.

Failure OF the Public Utilities Com
mission to give "intelliscnt co-opera-
tion" and render adequate relief" 10
fastening the Washington Railway
and Electric Company into the hands
OF a receiver. President w. II. Ham
told the House District COMMITTEES to-
day. ... ..
Congressional action may help solve
the problem. he said In the mean
time, the officials OF the company arc
going to put forth every possible
effort to keep the company out OF the
hands OF a receiver" .--
As..iIs Csmnaissisa.
Mr.. Ham spent most OF the time
sssailing the Public Utilities Commis-
sion for failure to grant .relief which
on. each occasion Il was requested
was conclusively demonstrated to be
needed" ava '
Arguments in favor Of q some sys-
TEN and a service at cost plan were
made by Mr.. Ham.
When his company asked the com
mission to provide q zone system he
said. they refused because 1t was un-
popular; when a request was made
the Potomac Electric Power Com
pany. IL was denied. go
Here Is the situation of the COM
pany at the present time. Mr.. Ham
said: -
~ Eaeets Of strike.
The gross receipts in 1919 increased
40 per cent, while expenses increased
1853 per cent. There was An increase
last year in capital expenditures OF
sec, 1000 for interest charges. .'-
He admitted that the strike OF 1917
made the Washington Railway and
Electric so unpopular that many
Washington people had stopped using
their lines unless absolutely impera-
tive. Mr.. Ham contsnded that the
feeling of the public toward the COM
pany has softened to the extent that
the majority of Washington people
now feel that the Washington Rail-
way and Electric Company Is entitled
to support because 1t is the under
dog and has been doing its beat to
build up the community" SsaL- ~
This feeling. he said, was indica-
ted by the fact that In 1919 traffic
on the Washington Railway and Eiec-
tric Company increased Is per cent.
pany it increased only z per cent.
RapD wage ImcrcnScSs
Revolutionary increases" In wages
awarded by the War Industries
Beard played havoc with his com
pxny, Mr.. Ham said. Both companies
found It necessary to meet the scale
fixed by tho board in order to as
sure suffiE cient labor.
After the wage increase was
granted, Mr.. Ham said both compa-
MES went to the Public Utilities Com
mission and asked foe relief. They
were given the right to put q straight
five-cent fare into effect In spite of
this increase, the Washington Rail-
way and Electric Company paid less
than 2 per cent return on property
in 1918 and 1919. ."
Wages paid today by his company
are 125 per cent higher than they
were before the war. Mr.. Ham de-
clared. .. '...-
Another visit to the Public Utilities
Commission resulted in q 7-cent fare
or six tickets for the quarter.
At this present time, with the in
creased fare. the company IL earning
a little less than az per cent on its
properties, based on the valuation Of
the Utilities Commission.
Business Ii Inereadn&.
Chairman Mapes, of the House Com
mittee, asked IL the increased fare
had caused decrease in the number
OF passengers carried. 1 b. .'.e 81.
1--WE are gaining all the times; we
are operating more cars and giving
better service" Mr.. Ham answered.
There was a falling Off in the traf-
fic following the fare increase. Mr..
Ham said. ..r .'..
Mr.. Ham agreed that in the pub
Ito interest the fare increases grant
ed by the Public Utilities Commission
should be effective on the limos OF
both the companies. ..
"We have advocated the zone, sys-
tem as q means of overcoming the DIFF.
ierer es between the two companies"
Mr.. Ham said. .' l.'
Naturally IL Is unpopular. Com
munities are built zip on q unit fare.
A zone system would work = hard
ship on suburban residenta"
RULE FOR AID ONE
Predicts ConEcsttsn-
Chairman Mapes asked II there
would be a marked tendency on tho
part OF the people TO move into the
first zone should such a systam be
inangurated." .'.
II would not say a marked tend
ency,' but there would be congestion"
MT, nam sara. St1li, " Woutu DO
n sensible way of overcoming the diff
ferepces between the companies.-
II would not want q stifr fare in tho
second zone, but a reasonable charge"
Mr.. Ham contended that the WASH
ihgton Railway and Electric Com
pany should be relieved OF paying for
now paving, in addition to having the
city furnish the crossing policemen
and remove the 4 per cent tax on
gross receipts. -
Chairman Mspes asked Mr.. Ham "
he believed the company should be
guaranteed a return. -
''Yes, as long as you want that
road operated" said Mr.. Ham. IT
you don't wart, say so.-
Dcerfes Large Tax.
Chairman Mapes said probably II
was a bad investment, to which Mr
Ham took issue, on the ground that
"by virtue OF circumstsnoesr his
road 'is unable TO DO business at the
rate Of fare OF few years ago" .'h
Some day" said Mr.. Ham. wash
ington will be proud OF the work OF
development we have done In the Dis
trict."