The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-08-01
NEWMAN OPPOSED
TOS|NGLE BOARD
FORD. c. UTILITIES
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other question deserving serious con-
sideration.
1t is true that the District Commits.
sioners are busy men. l know. be-
cause / was one Of them for four
years. simultaneously was Public
Utilities Commissioner. and / know
how busy THEY must be, too.
Commissioners Busy Men.
A man on that job doesn't have time
to do anything but keep his nose clos
to the grindstone and work the pedal
with both feet. The Commissioners
have to run the police and fire depart
ments, the health service, the jails, hos
pitfalls, penal farms. correctional and
service institutions; they must see that
the streets are paved and lighted. the
sewers kept in condition. and the
water supply distributed properly. also
they must build schoolhouses and
other public structures, run the mar
kets, regulate automobile traffic and
do a thousand and one other things
too numerous to mention. but all re-
quiring time, thought and energy.
On top Of all that, then. can they
find time to supervise the gas com.
panies, electric light company, street
car companies and taxicab COM
what stocks and bonds these concerns
may issue and how they may spend
the proceeds; how much and what
kind of service they must provide
and how much they may charge for
1t. They have to 60 further than
that. They must lay down regula-
tions of accounting and bookkeeping
for each utility, and see to 1t that
those regulations are Obeyed.
All those duties. piled on top of
their duties as District Commission
ers, not the least OF which though
failed to mention 1t above). Is the
necessity OF handling District ap-
propriations and legislation in Con.
gress, make q an's-sized job.
Centralized Authority Desired.
II we were at the beginning. I
don't know that ! would advocate
putting these utility commissioner
duties on the District Commission
ers, although there Is logic In II
from the standpoint OF Capitalization
of authority and responsibility and
also because in many instances the
functions of District Commission and
Utility Commission. overlap, In which
case II Is desirable that the boards
be composed of the same individuals.
But the important point now Is
that we are NOT ut the beginning.
The time consuming work OF the
Utilities Commission Is behind II.
/ refer to the valuations Of the
local utility corporations made by
the Utilities Commission. That was
back breaking job, and the back
that carried most of the load was
that Of Col. Charles w. Kutz, chair
man OF the Utilities Commission.
While those valuations Were being
made the Commissioners WE'RE hard
pressed for time in which to do
both Jobs, but that work has been
completed, and all Utility Commits
sions in the future. whoever may
compose them. will have the advan-
tage of that information.
Every single fact about the utility
corporations Of the District Is n0y
Of public record. The cost Of every
article that went into the properties
is known. Every single bit of property
they now have Is written down in q
book, available to everybody.
Furthermore, system OF book
keeping and cost accounting has
been installed that keeps that knowlr
edge up to date almost day by day.
There can never again be mystery
or uncertainty in Washington about
the three vital things in a utility
corporations:
First-What IL has.
Second-What 1t costs to produce
its service.
Third-What II makes in profit.
Functions Of Commission.
The work Of the Utilities Commits.