The labor world., 1920-10-02

tai. competition to the electric
railway. These forms of public
motor conveyance when operated
AS public carriers, should prop
erly he subject to equivalent
regulatory provisions.
" The full cooperation of
A4As labor is essential to the
highest prosperity and the nse-
fulness of the industry. The en-
ployees engaged in this occupa-
tion should have living wage
and humane hours of labor and
working conditions. They should
have the right to deal collectively
with their employers, through
committees or representatives IF
their own selection. All labor
disputes should be settled volun-
tarily or by arbitration, and the
award of such board should be
final and binding upon both
parties. 1t is intolerable that the
transportation service of a city
should be subject to occasional
paralysis, whether by strikes or
by lockouts.
VIII A private industry
A1x1s should not be subsi-
died by public funds, unless it
is imperatively necessary for the
preservation of an essential serv-
ice, and then only as an emet-
gency measure.
WV Unless the usefulness of
al " the electric railways is
to be sacrificed, public control
must be flexible enough to enable
them to secure sufficient revc-
nues to pay the entire cost of the
service rcndered,- including the
necessary cost of both capital
and labor.
wv There can be no salts
"A ~ factory solution of the
electric railway problem which
does not include the fair valua-
ton of the property employed in
the public service, and, where
that is done, the companies
should voluntarily reduce any
Excessive capitalization to the
basis of such value.
WI There is no insuperable
a w. objection to a large,
widc-awake city having exclus-
i've jurisdiction over the rates
and services Of public utilities.
YVfT The necessity for SCI
a V14s entific and successful
regulation of systems, whether
large or small, and especially
those which operate through sew
cral cities and villages and in
rural territory, leads to the con-
clusion that local regulation
should generally be subject to the
superior authority Of the state,
whether as matter of original
jurisdiction or through the me-
dium of appeal.
YvuI Cost = of service
"A VIII. contracts are in the
experimental stage, but, where
tried, they seem to have secured
fair return upon capital, estab-
tished credit, and effected reason
ably satisfactory public service.
Such contracts may safely be
entered into where the public
right eventually to acquire the
property is safeguarded.
WV The right of the public
Ala. to own and operate
public utilities should be recog-
nized, and legal obstacles in the
way of its exercise should be re-
moved. ~.
w While eventually it
AAs might become expedient
for the public to own and oper-
ate electric railways, there is
nothing 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
operated utilities could afford if
properly regulated.
YY Public ownership and
ANAs operation of local trans
portation systems, whether or
not it be considered ultimately
desirable. is now, because of con-
stitutional and statutory prohi-
hitlons, financial and legal OBJ
stacles, the present degree of re-
sponsibility of our local govern
ments, and the state of public
opinion, practicable in so few in
stances, that private ownership
and operation must as a general
rule be continued for an ex~
tended period.
YYu If the reforms Incl
]AZAAAs dent to public regu-
lation which we suggest in this
report should not result in maxi
ing private ownership satisfac-
tory to the public, such reforms
should at least enable public
ownership to be established upon
just and equitable basis.
veil indicated by the high character Of
They were:
and General Solicitor of the National
es Commissioners.
cretaty of Commerce, representing the
the American Electric Railway Associ-
Labor Statistics, Department Of Labor,
el Of the War Finance Corporation,
tent.
rbes & Co., New York, bankers, repre-
association of America.
Association of Street and
,erica, representing that association.
tland, Orc, representing the American