The Washington times., 1921-07-11
SYM|E RAPS
WOODS BILL
AS F|ASCO
EXP. v. c. counseI> Says Plan
Is Nothing but Merger Of Pep
CO and w. r. E. for Profit.

By Major OLIVER P. NEWMAN,
Formerly President. Board Of Com.
missioners. District OF Columbia.
Here's another opponent of the
Woods bill, which is going to be
voted on in the House District
Committee on Wednesday:
Conrad H. Syme.
Most people in Washington and
some members of Congress need
no introduction to Syme. When you
say "Syme" you thirs Of the Wash
ington street car lines, and vice
versa, for you don't have to be
told that he probably knows more
about them, their history, and their
workings than anybody else in the
District of Columbia.
TAKES DRASTIC STAND.
So when we find Syme vigorously
against the Woods bill. II is worth
while TO listen to what he has TO say
about II.
Passage OF the Woods bill" said
Mr.. Syme to The Times today.
"oulu Ut w itdN
declaration that the District OF
Columbia had been turned over 10
the Washington Railway and Electric
Company"
Now, people don't make such
drastic statements as that unless
they feel strongly on the subject OF
which they are talking. and unless
they have strong reasons to back
up their assertions. Remember that
as you go along with Mr.. Syme.
Conrad II. Syme was corporation
counsel for the District government
from 1913 to 1921. and simultaneously
was general counsel for the Public
Utilities Commission which is com.
posed Of the three District Commission
ers. Syme went along with the com
mission guiding its legal course.
through every foot Of it's valuations OF
the street car companies, electric
light company. gas company, etc. He
knows the Potomac Electric Power
Company and the Washington Rail-
way and Electric Company inside out
January /. 1921, he resigned from the
District government and resumed the
private practice Of law, but he hasn I
forgotten what he learned in the Dis.
trict building nor has he lost his in.
terest in the final solution Of Wash
Noil = uNilibN A,cSaNS0 49,
he is a Westinghouse from way back
yonder when he was a boy.
AN OLD, OLD STORY.
THE Washington Railway and
Electric Company" resumed Mr..
Syme. has been trying increasingly
for years to absorb the Potomac Elec
trio Power Company. It's an old, old
story, and it's one OF the simplest sit
uations ! ever heard of anywhere.
They want the power company profits
to apply to street car company losses.
That's all there Is to II, and there's
no use thinking there Is anything
else.
The Woods bill has a lot Of other
provisions in it-for merger OF the
two big car companies, for a change
in the taxation system. for relieving
the car companies from paying for
paving and for crossing policemen
but the only definite. unconditional
thing in the bill. with no strings 10
II whatever, is section .. which flat
ly and unequivocally authorizes the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company TO take in the Pepco.
That should not be permitted.
Congress long ago realized it should
not he permitted, ana enacted a law
specifically prohibiting II. The Woods
bill would repeal that law-which the
company has never heretofore been
able to have repealed-and would
permit the absorption.
The main reason that absorption
should not be permitted Is that Ii Ia
wrong to make the users Of one
service make up the losses to a com.
pany that provides an altogether diff.
ferent kind OF service. That prin-
ciple alone Is justification enough for
keeping the w. IL. 4 r. and the
pepco apart. but in this particular
case there is an additional good rea.
son. The railway company has been
terr!fically exploited in the past, AMI
has a lot OF watered stock that isn't
paying any returns now. II the car
(Contnued on Pare 5. Column u