The Washington herald., 1921-06-22
Suggests Commission to
Operate Companies to
Protect People.
EXPLAINS HOW COST
COULD BE REDUCED
Declares Rerouting of
Lines Would Work to
Advantage.

A consolidation Of the street car
companies of Washington and the
divorce of the Potomac Electric
Power Company by the Washington
Railway and Electric Company is
essentially important in construct
ing a plan for the permanent i'm
orovement of the traction situation
in the District of Columbia, ac-
-ording to Representative Walters.
Of the House District Committee.
1T is my opinion" said Walters.
that upon the manifestation % an
1nwillingness to consolidate on the
part Of the railway companies,
Congress should take such steps as
would be necessary to condemn and
appropriate the properties and
franchises
Operation Under Commission.
The combined properties should
then be placed in the custody Of
he Public Utilities Commission, to
be operated by a private corpora
tion under the authorization of the
commission. which should prescribe
such limitations as they should
deem just and proper in order to
protect the people.
in considering an amalgamation
Of the street railways" said Wal
ters, "it is necessary that all con-
cerned bear in mind the irrefutable
fact that interests of the people
as a whole are and should be para
mount TO the interests of the cor
porations and personally" he added.
Il regret to say that so far / have
seen no disposition on the part of
the utilities companies to recognize
the inevitable by subordinating
their own desires to those of the
people.
Unfair to Public.
TO expect the public to pay in
part, directly or indirectly. for any
anticipated or future value of the
Companies is contrary to flaws
which now exist, permitting steam
railroads to condemn and dispossess
owners Of properties lying in a con-
tempIated right of way. An ap-
praised valuation placed upon all
such lands does not include the an
ticipated value nor consider how
much more the property might be
worth at some indefinite time in the
future. 1t is generally conceded"
Walters admitted. that an ap-
praisal of this kind would be hardly
possible The lines of q railroad
are extended to benefit the people
as a whole and this justifies the
possible detriment to a few.
This same law then should be
Interpreted as having a reverse ac-
tion when the railway companies
are the defendants and the people
are to benefit by a sale of the COM
panies' properties to another cor
poration- The law should certainly
work both ways. II 1t was promul-
gated to aid the masses at the ex-
pense of a few when the railway
was the purchaser, then T. should
end purchaser just as consistently.
come to the assistance of the sec.
Divorce Electric Plant.
Having beeen an official of
traction company in Pennsylvania
for a number of years" said Wal
ters, 1T strikes me as somewhat
ridiculous to consider the amalga-
nation of the companies with the
electric light corporation. There IS
no more reason to permit a merger
fthis kind than to allow all the
other utilities to participate. Hav-
gone so far as to include the cleo
trio company, / see no reason whv
II would not De just as sensible to
include the gas and telephone COM
ponies, too.
The offer to reduce the rate of
car fares and increase the price
charged for electricity appears TO
he another way of saying that the
cost Of car fares cannot be reduced
II is folly to take an offer OF This
Kind seriously. The charge for elec-
tricity il as high as it shall he
allowed to go. according to the
statement of one OF the Commits
sioners. and this. I am confident. is
me attitude of the House Districr
Committee on the question.
People Deserve Recognition.
am opposed to the persecution
or any company or corporation. II
am aware that to treat the COM
ranies unfairly Is to discourage in
Nest' 'ent, which works a tremen-
dous hardship on the people who
are dependent upon capital To a
large extent. But a corporation is
not entitled to more protection in
its Investments than is the private
individual. When the interests of
the railway, companies conftct with
the interests Of the people IL is
merely necessary to apply the prin-
ciple Of The greatest good to the
greatest number Of people,
The people have demanded an
Improvement in the service and n
reduction in the rate" Walters as
serted. and i am convinced that
demands are justifable. With a
of the two street car
capable and experienced
engineers could materially reduce
the cost of operation and improve
the service. reduction in fares
would be the nttural result of this
saving Cars could be rerouted to
a wonderful advantage, after the
ownership of the tracts was vested
in one company. Purchases could
be made in larger Quantities at a
considerable saving, and in nanv
other ways expenses could be re-
duced to point where the service
reached a desirable standard and
the fares resumed a normal propor-
tion-
The King measure differs from
the Ball bill in that it provides
for the exclusion of the Potomac
Electric Power Company in
merger of the traction companies
whereas the Ball bill includes this