Evening star., 1921-05-19
HARD TO SOLVE OUR
STREET RAILWAY
PROBLEM JUSTLY
How Shall We Distribute
EquitabIy the Cost of Car
rying Long-HauI Traffic at
a Loss?

d IUSS
THEODORE W. MOVES.
Editorial Correspondence Of The Star
In tackling the street railway prob
structive; none of US sufficiently and
efficiently constructive. Everybody
knows how not to do it; nobody makes
clear how to do it.
One Of US denounces as iniquitous
an increase of fiat rate of fare in
pates; another exposes the vicious and
futile folly of any discrimination be-
tween rates of fare for the two roads
One of us demonstrates that the urban
short-haul street car rider should not
pay increased fare, since he has always
cost of the Improbable transportation
of the long-haul suburban passenger
Another denounces the suggestion that
the long-haul passenger should, under
aZone or transfer system, pay more
than the short-haul passenger. He
condemns 1t as viciously discrimina-
tory, as unjust to the suburbanite and
as hurtful to the public or community
welfare, checking wholesome city de-
velopment and tending to cause urban
congestion and develop slums. The
electric light user is urged to refuse
to pay in high electric light rates to
relieve either the long-haul or short
from the menace of a receivership.
The local taxpayer is encouraged to
say that it is none Of his business and
Uncle Sam is invited to wash his hands
of all responsibility. Without munich
pal ownership the railway, we are told,
will go into an inevitable receiyership.
and municipal ownership. especially in
the non-self-governing National Capt.
tai, Is worse, We are warned, than a
receivership.
Cooperate in UpbuildinE.
Instead Of universal knocking.
should we not all of US cooperate
vigorously In upbuilding? This CO.
operation Is essential. because the
question Is not really one Of helping
the Washington Railway and Electric
Company out Of financial difficulties.
for which the company is itself in
some measure responsible. and in re-
spect to which the company's manage
ment on occasion in the past has
alfenated somewhat public sympathy.
The real problem to be solved is that
of reeonstruetinS after the war the
street railway rapid-transit system Of
the District Of Columbia SO that II
shall function effectively for the de-
veloDnent Of the Greater Warrington.
good service Mt reasonable
rates over the whole District.
To render adequate service the rail-
neglect and overuse OF war time. must
be restored; to accomplish this resto-
ration the railway ssust be able to
borrow money on favorable terms: to
make good the railways credit II
must be doing a paying (even IL only
slightly paying) business. No one will
lend 1t money on endurable terms IL 1t
Is compelled to do business at a loss.
In this respect the community welfare
and the railway interest merge and
become identical.
That the city may expand whole.
somely into a healthier. more attrac-
tive and more prosperous capital, 1t is
necessary that rapid-transit system
Of transportation shall extend in every
direction into the suburbs, relieving
urban congestion and eliminating or
minimizing slums.
L0ng-Haul Tramc Carried Mt q Loss.
In the beginning and sometimes for
many years these suburban rapid
transit extensions. so beneficial to the
whole community. are not in them
selves profitable. The carrying Of the
long haul suburban passenger is at =
loss. to be met by somebody. as for
example. by the urban street railways,
to which the suburban roads serve az
feeders: by the city short-haul pas
sengers. by the community as a whole
as taxpayers or by some combination
Of these contributing factors.
In the case Of Washington this loss
has in the past been borne mainly and
primarily by the Washington Railway
and Electric Company, which COM
bined into one system two urban pay
ing lines, and a dozen or more un-
profitable lines. mainly suburban. The
company has been strengthened to en-
dure this drain in the public interest
by the use and enjoyment Of large,
possibly excessive. electric light prof
its. and by the savings which resulted
from the payment Of inadequate wages
to employees. Thus. the company. in ef-
feet, shifted its burden to the electric
light users and underpaid employees.
But the workmen's wages have, since
the early days of the company, been
increased several hundred per cent.
over 100 per cent in the last few
years. and the electric light rates and
profits have been cut down. The rail-
road stockholders are no longer able un-
der existing conditions to bear alone
this community burden. In the COM
pulsory attempt they have ceased to
earn dividends. SO far as the common
aced with indirect confscation Of the
principal Of their investment
The problem is not solved II. through
recefvership or compulsory merger on
inequitable and confiscatory terms,
ruin comes to the several thousand
tonians, who constitute the Washington
Railway and Electric Company stock
holders
No One Wishes a Losing Busfness.
Nobody will rush to assume the public
service burden which has proved SO dis-
astrous to these stockholders. neither
the Capital Traction Company nor the
the local or national governments
through municipal or government own
ership.
In 1918. in opposing the purchase and
ownership Of the local street railways
to the difficulty Of fixing a price for
the compulsory purchase Of railways
which would be fair to botA taxpayer
and stockholders. said:
,n~1an sftess rs,IW.r STnsrs Of the Wash
women and children who own street
railway stock. They are largely wash
ingtonians: OF the 2.002 Capital Trac-
ton stockholders. 1851 reside in the
D1StilCt, anu A'tS OL inc 1850 Washing
ton Railway and Electric stockholders
are residents Of Washington. Some
are large owners: many are small own :
ers They have paid all sorts Of price.
for their stock. A. few still remain VIC
bought as a gamble at low prices iu
the period Of no dividends. experiment,
failure and pessimism. Most Of the
present owners have bought after the
losses and anxiety Of the pioneer and
experimental period mad been ENDURED
and some returns in dividends were n
evidence or immediate prospect. Many
ish, in the future prospects OF the
nnnnerfX have Maid exec ssixe nsicn. -,