The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-08-24

lie service when honestly and efficiently
managed.
Restoration of credit involves re-
adjustment of relations which will re-
move public antagonism, provide pub
lie cooperation and insure the investor
the integrity of his investment and q
fair rate of return thereon.
Full cooperation of labor is essential
to the prosperity and usefulness of the
electric lines, the report says, adding
that employees should receive a living
wage and have humane hours and
working conditions
''They should have the right to deal
collectively with their employers, it
continues, through committees or
representatives of their own selection.
All labor disputes should be settled vol
unfairly or by arbitration and the
award of such a board should be final
and binding upon both parties.
eft is intolerable that the transpor-
tation service of a city should be sub
ject to occasional paralysis, whether
by strikes or lockouts. -
A satisfactory solution of the prob
lens of the industry cannot be reached
without considering the fair valuation
of the properties, the report says. When
this is done, it adds, companies should
voluntarily reduce capitalization to the
basis of that valuation.
The commissioners held that while it
seemed best for state authorities to
have jurisdiction over electric lines
either directly or on appeal, that there
was E'no insuperable objection to
| large and "wide awake cities exer-
cising exclusive regulatory powers over
rates and service.
Discussing cost-of service contracts
the report says they are in an expert
mental stage but ''seem to have Sc
cured fair return upon capital, es-
| tablished credit and affected reasonably
satisfactory public SERVICE
"Such contracts may safely be en-
tered into,'' it continues, "where the
public right eventually to acquire the
property is safe guarded"
This leads the commission into dis
cussion of public ownership of street
railways from which this conclusion
is derived:
"'While eventually it might become
expedient for the public to own and OPP
crate electric railways, there is moth
ing in the experience thus far obtained
in this country which will Justify the
assertion that it will result in better
or cheaper service than privately OPP
Grated utilities could afford if properly
regulated.
"Public ownership and operation of
local transportation systems whether or
not it be considered ultimately desir-
able, is now, because of constitutional
and statutory prohibitions, financial
and legal obstacles, the present de-
gree of responsibility of our local gov
ernments and the state of public opin-
ion, practicable in so few instances
that private ownership and operation
must as a general rule be continued
for an extended period.
eff the reforms incident to public
regulation which we suggest in this re-
port should not result in making pri-
waite ownership satisfactory to the pub
lie, such reforms should at least enable
public ownership to be established upon
Just and equitable basis
Development of motor bus and iitney
service has been ga serious although
not a fatal competition to trolley
lines, the commission finds. Where
such conveyances are operated as pub
! lie carriers they should be subjected to