Evening star., 1921-10-11
Striking Out of Enactment
Clause by Body Spells
Its Death.
WOULD HAVE Permitted
HALF-CENT CUT IN FARES
One Company Declared to Be Re-
ceiving $5O0,000 More Than
It Is Entitled To.

The committee Of the whole houS-
on the state of the Union. in con-
sid-ring the District street railway
merger. today reported back to the
House with a recommendation that
the enacting clause should be stricken
out, thereby killing the Focht bill.
This action was taken in the com
mittec of the whole after two votes, III
each of which a clear majority was
shown III favor Of killing the bill. On
an aye and nay vote, 20 were in favor
of the motion of Representative Blan-
ton to strike out the enacting clause
and fifty voted against such action.
When teilers were called for the vote
was, ayes. 6S. and nays, 60.
Among those voting TO strike out
the enacting clause were Representa-
tive Mapes of Michigan. formerly o;
the House District committee: Repre-
sen1atives Sproul, Illinois. republican.
ard Blanton. democrat. Texas. bo's
members of the District committee
Stafford. Wisconsin,: Fess. On"
Reavis. Nebraska; Graham, Illinois
Mclaughlin. Michigan Haughsi
Iowa; Greene Massachusetts, am.
Herrick. Oklahoma.
The House later, by an overwhe!nf-
ing vote. decided TO recommit To TIA
Houses District committee the stree
railway merger bill.
The Focht bill would permit OF r.
duclion of one-half cent in stre",
car fares, Representative James l.
Woods. democrat. OF Virginia, thr
original author of the So-called m"r-
ger bill, told the House today vhFn
consideration of the measure was re-
sumed.
Representative Blanton offered
privileged motion to strike out III"
enacting clause. Representative Blan-
ton said that even with the amend
mentS which Chairman Focht of tn"
House District committee said h.
would offer. making the tax releas'
provision dependent upon the merger
of the Two street railway companies.
would NOT cure the defects of the bill.
Mr.. Blanton said that the release pro
poSal should not be granted under
any conditions. and he specifically dis
cussed The proposal to relieve tn-
street railway companies from the
paving charge.
! Sees RoItrf for Riders.
| Representative Woods argued that
! the bill does bring relief % the Sired
car riders and at the same time does
| not work an injustice on either of the
| street railway companies. II opens
the way to a merger. he said, and re
moves the Legislative prohibition
/ against merger.
Representative Woods reminded the
today paying one company 100000
NOR. than it is entitled to receive.
He pointed out that ii is not right 10
tax the Capital Traction Company
disapproportio ionately in order to keep
the Washington Railway and Electric
Company running. That injustice i
removed by this bill, Representative
{ Woods said.
Inducement for Merger.
To a1
Traction Company to enter into a
merger. Mr. Woods explained. this
bill says tka: the consolidated COM
pany may take over the Potomac
Electric Power Company, which is
the most valuable property, and then
should serve notice on the Capital
Traction Company that Congress is
going to take away the undue profit
that it has been receiving. Then they
will never merge" Representative
Woods stated We are doing that
through tie excess profits provision"
. This is the only method which
provides for reduction of street
ear fares" he added TO get one
/ cent reduction means taking one and
! one-half million dollars from both
! companies. This bill will allow re-
duction of approximately one-half
! cent in fares and still allow the Cap
ital Traction Company generous re-
turn"
Representative Woods explained
that the bill carries Endorsement. in
! principle. of the Public Utilities Com
! mission. who are also the District
! Commissioners. and that it has the
! Endorsement of the Chamber Of Com
; nerce, Board of Trade and other
business organizations.
! Argues for Five-Cent Fare.
| Representative. Madden of Illinois.
r;.,ts
! committee. declared there should be
! a fiYe-cent street car fare in Wash
! inCton without any merger. IT this
bill IL passed. it will be easy to get
: anything through Congress. Mr.. Mad
den said. He declared the Focht bill
! fundamentally wrong. He argued
that the bill should be killed and that
! condemnation proceedings should be
entered into and the street railway
ship.
| Representative Mapes. Michigan.
| who was chairman of the House Dis
/ trict committee when hearings Were
| held looking toward a solution OF the
street railway problem. vigorously
; opposed the bill now before the House
He said the proposal for a so per cent
/; excess profits tax on all earnings
above Z per cent is n check. because
the Public Utilities Commission would
not allow any fare which would yield
above per cent
! Representative Oliver Alabama ad-
, vocated that the bill be sent back to
committee and altered so that the
! first provision in it would plainly
state maximum fare, which pro-
ponents of the bill have said on
the floor should be seven cents. and
| four tickets for a quarter.
Urges Simple iBll.
/ Representative Graham. H.. re-
publican. also argued that the hill
| should he taken back to COMMITTEE
and a simple bill drafted giving the
companies the right to merge. This
could be passed at this session OF
CONGRESS. he said, and he would vote
for it, AS an alternative he will be
forced to vote in favor of the Blanton
motion to strike out the enacting &
clause. he said Representative
Graham stated his bAlief that 1t ia
not good policy for Congress to
authorize consultations OF corpora
tions engaged in different kinds OF
business In the present instance. he
said, IL would result In a demand for
Increased charges for light and
Representative Graham also opposed
tho proposal in the bill to remit ex-
| pense of repaving streets.
II do not propose to tax my con-
I,stituents to pay street car fares for
| the people in the District" he said.
! Representative Graham said that
| while it Is claimed the main purpose
of the bill is to reduce street car
! 80, 1i.,,,.-5 an ISa.r. , TOiNmn