Evening star., 1921-03-18
CAR LINES ASSURED
EQUAL FARE RATES
Four Tokens for rs Cents
Possible if No Hardships
Are Worked.

w HdteSeT rate OF car1are is decided
upon by the PUBLIC Utilities Commits
sion for the period beginning April
l. 1t is practically certain to be the
same for both companies, in the
opinion of persons who followed the
hearings just closed.
If the commssio finds that it
would not work too great a hard
snip on the Washington Railway and
Electric Company to return to four
tokens for 20 cents. it may fix that
rate for both roads
The Washington Railway and Elec-
trio asked for continuation of the
present rate of four tokens for 20
cents. The Capital Traction Com
pany made no definite request. but
presented evidence to show that con-
tinuaton OF the present fare would
yield that company a return of about
10 per cent on it's valuation, while
the former rate of four tokens for
20 cents would be ample for return
of 6 per cent
1t was brought out in the testimony
of the railway officials that if the
Capital Traction was given the rate
OF four tokens for 25 cents with no
change on the Washington Railway
and Electric, the income of the form
er company would be greater than
with a uniform fare
Would Need IO-Cent Fare.
In addition. William f. Ham. presi
dent of the Washington Railway and
Electric, submitted that if the Capital
Traction is given a lower fare his
company would need at least a ten
cent fare in order to offset the loss
of business that would flow to the
Capital Traction.
What is likely TO turn the commits
sion against separate rates. however
is the testimony that service of both
systems would be demoralized. Capi-
tai Traction cars. with the low fare
would be Jammed, while Washington
Railway and Electric service would
be curtailed because of falling off i'm
traffic. the evidence shows.
William Nick. Clayton. in closing
the hearing yesterday for the Fedora
ton of Citizens Associations. told the
commission that whether it decides
on separate rates or a uniform rate,
the fare of the Capital Traction Com
pany must come down. This, in effect
meant that if the commission decides
on uniform rate it should bring the
Washington Railway and Electric
down to the rate which the Capital
Traction can operate on-four tokens
for % cents-rather than put the
Capital Traction up to the amount the
Washington Railway and Electric
says it needs.
Present Earnings Rapped.
Can this commission. in the face
OF testimony that the Capital Trac-
tion Company would earn 10 per cent
on it's fair value this year. continue
the present rate of fare, when per
cent has always been regarded as :,
reasonable return" Mr.. CLAYTON ask
ed.
PERSONALLY. I would like to see the
Washington Railway and Electric get
the present rate continued. but that
company has enmeshed itself with
the Capital Traction in asking YOU
to make the same fare apply to both
systems.
Mr.. Clayton aroused the ire of Mr..
Ham when he declared that the past
policy of the Washington Railway
and Electric has been to place divi-
dends to stockholders above every
thing else. The Washington Railway
and Electric continued to pay divi-
dends during the past few years. he
said but deferred the maintenance of
the property so that the cost of that
into Il large sum. He further assert
ed that the company paid starvation
wages" to it's men before the war
and at the same time paid dividends
on it's stock.
AIR. Ham became indignant at this
point and declared that Clayton's
statement about starvation wages
was an absolute falsehood"
In reply, Clayton said he would re-
fer Mr.. Ham to the invest igation
made by a committee of the Senate
following labor troubles on the Wash
ington Railway and Electric before the
war.
Mr.. Ham presented additional data
Yesterday on the company's deprecia-
tion fund after which the hearing