Evening star., 1920-03-07
federation VOTES
AGAINST PROPOSED
RAISE IN CAR FARE
Described as Burden of
Nearly Two Millions
on Public.
Committee APPOINTED
TO AID SCHOOL INQUIRY
Citizens Will Send Delegate to At
tend Conference to Consider
Proposed Municipal Market.

The Federation OF Citizens Associ-
ations voted at it's meeting in the
board room of the District building
last night to oppose vigorously and
actively" the petition Of the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Company
for seven-cent fare with a two-cent
charge for transfers.
The federation also appointed .
committee Of hve to cooperate with
the select committee of the Senate in
the forthcoming investigation Of the
public school system.
W. B. Westlake, president, appoint
ed William NICK. Clayton, Jesse c.
Suter. D. A. Edwards, George Rus
sell and W. L. Peet on this commit
tee.
This action was taken on recon-
mendation of the committee on edu-
cation. Mr.. Suter, chairman. In view
of the impending inquiry into the
schools. the federation voted to defer
action on the resolution from the
Benning association, in which the
resignation Of DR.. John Van Schaick
as a member Of the board Of educa-
ton was asked for.
To Consider Municipal Market.
The federation instructed Delegate
Allan Davis to attend . conference
in the rooms Of the Chamber Of Com
merce Thursday night. at which the
establishment Of a municipal whole
sale market near rail and water
transportation. as a means Of re-
ducing the cost Of living. will be
considered. Such a market, IL 10 ar
gued. will save the expenditure Of
large sums for hauling.
In submitting the report of the
utilities committee in opposition to
further increase in carfare at this
time. William Nick. Clayton said. in
part: "a
THE. application. il granted, weuid
call for an increased fare Of approx
imately one million dollars from the
car riders Of the Washington Railway
and Electric Company and nearly the
same amount from tho patrons Of the
Capital Traction Company il the COM
mission should follow the precedent
established of allowing the same rate
of fare on both systems.
Patrons of the Capital Traction and
Washington Railway and Electric
paid in fares in 1919 twenty-three
hundred thousand dollars more than
they did in 1918. The companies have
had in less than twenty months three
fare increases. and the present fare
averages a so per cent increase over
the initial fare.
Argument for Merger.
when the last fare increase to
seven cents, or four tickets for a.
quarter, was granted and the commits
sion, acting outside the law to protect
the Washington Railway and Electric
Company from competition. made q
gift of over a half million dollars Of
the peoples money to the Capital
Traction Company. the federation
withheld its clear right of court ac-
ton to enjoin this illegal award be-
cause 1t believed then that the man.
agement Of both traction companies
would understand and appreciate the
patience and forbearance Of the peo-
pie as well as the logic of the situa-
ton and promptly perform the duty
they had time and again professed
they owed the city and its people. /. e.,
merge their roads and thus give the
District one traction company with
all that this means in service. man.
agement. extension and financing"
The federation also adopted q resO-
luton against giving the Public Utili-
ties Commission the power to fix the
wages Of street car employees. Mr..
Clayton. who made tho motion. said
that il 1t was the commissions duty
to give the carmen an increased wage.
the companies could properly ask for
a higher fare on the ground that the
commission had increased their op-
Grating expenses.
On motion Of w. B. Todd. chairman
Of the committee on parks. the fedora
tion indorsed the purchase by Con-
gress Of the Columbia Heights and
Gallinger Fairgrounds.
Reporting on a bill for the extern
sion Of Maryland avenue northeast to
the Anacostia river. Mr.. Todd recon-
mended that 1t be amended to provide
for the termination of the avenue At
cath street. II it went any further,
he said, It would cut in two the Mt.
Hamilton tract, which is being con-
sidered as a new site for the botanic
gardens The federation voted to
refer the matter back to the COM
mittee.