Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-01-14
URGES PUBLIC
AND UTILITIES
TOJOIN HANDS
American Gas President Says
Common Welfare Depends
on Cooperation.
BANQUET ENDS MEETING

BANQUET ENDS MEETING
That the welfare of the public and the
welfare of the public utilities go hand
in hand was the assertion of Charles A.
Munroe, president of the American Gas
Association. last night at the banquet
in the ClaypoOI Hotel which marked the
close Of the first annual meeting Of the
Indiana Public Utility Association.
He pointed cut that IL the public utili-
ties of a citr are crippled financially
they will be unable TO give adequate
service and the city will cease TO grow.
The dominant note Of the addresses at
the banquet and at the afternoon session
of the convention was the importance OF
closer cooperation between the public
and the utilities-the laying before the
public. with all the cards on the table,
of the problems of the utilities that the
public might get a better insight into
these problems.
Philip H. Gadsden, president Of the
American Electric Railway Association,
another speaker at the banquet said that
the great need in the public utility field
today Is credit and that this Is linked d.
rectIy with rate adjustment
SUCCESS DEPENDS
ON NEW CREDIT.
1t is absolutely necessary. he added,
II public utilities are to continue to
function. that they must establish new
credit and create a flow Of new capital
F. into their securities.
"The answer to this whole problem"
he said. sis the granting Of rates to
public utility companies which will in
sure a return to the security holders
that will induce them 10 invest"
The adjustment of public utility rates
TO d basis thst Will attract new money
into the field. he said. will be fastened
by q thorough understanding Of, the
public rtility problems, and the best
way to bring about that understanding is
TO be frank and advertise.
As the only customer OF public utili-
ties, he said. the public is entitled to
know all about their business and any
public utility which cannot stand the
searchlight Of honest public inquiry can
not hope TO obtain help through favor
able public sentiment.
Put your house in such order" he
added. "that you viii fear the ques-
tons OF no man"
. He advised that utilities should insist
upon courtesy from their employees to-
ward consumers, adding that the man
who reads the meter is the gas company
'in the consumers eye and that it is vital
70 the company that he create a good
impression.
BLA4GES ISFLEXIBLE
RATE REGULATION.
In touching upon the financial diff
ficuIties Of public utilities, he said that
the regulation of rates from which other
kinds of business do not suffer Is
the basic cause Of their troubles.
He declared the system is too rigid to
meet emergencies such as those created
by the war.
Charles L. Henry, president OF the as
ISOLATION, who presided at the banquet,
announced the appointment Of F. o.
Cuppy. Lafayette Telephone Company,
and Thomas Donahue, Lafayette, North
ern Indiana Gas and Electric Company,
to the executive committee, which is in
creased to eleven members.
Mayor Jewett delivered an address OF
welcome.
At the afternoon session. E. K. Hail.
vice president Of the American Telephone
and Telegraph Company, whose subject
was Public Relations" touched upon
the importance Of public utilities TO pub
lic welfare He referred to the Wool
worth building in New York and said
that it was built about elevator service.
He pictured the distress the country
would suffer if all public utilities sus-
pended operation for thirty days.
He asserted that there is no longer
danger of utilities rates being too high,
as they would be revealed under con-
tlnuous regulation and could be changed
at any time; but that the real danger
Is in the rates being made too low, Grip
ping the industry and injuring its serv
Ice to the community.
Martin J. insult, president of the Ma
ti0nal Electric Light Association, whose
subject was "PGblic Utilities. the Peoples
Business. pointed out th.t the public
should be educated as 20 the importance
Of the public utilities in business aud
social life.
Surely" he said. the public utilities
may be spoken OF as the public's bust
ness"