Evening star., 1921-06-08
SAY D. C. OFFICIALS
SHOULD CUT FARES
House Members Believe Com.
missioners Have Authority
Over Car Lines.

Consensus that the Public Utilities
Commission now has authority and
that 1t is its duty toward the public
to reduce the street car fares in
Washington to 6 cents, or even less
was expressed by members of the
House District committee today.
Other matters of legislation were
under discussion and the question of
street car merger was not supposed
to come up until Friday. but iared
up Members of the committee. in
Guiding Representatives Underhill of
Massachusetts, Fitzgerald of Ohio.
Chairman Focht of Pennsylvania and
kunZ of Illinois. spoke in favor of
urging the District Commissioners to
reduce the fare.
AS a. result Of this it was agreed
that Chairman Focht should invite
tn the Public Utilities Commission to
attend the meeting Friday and get
the views Of the members on this
point. Chairman Focht told the COM
mittee that he had it on the very best
authority that the commission had
agreed to just such action. but that
one Commissioner got cold feet" He
said he believed the Commissioners
are ready to reduce the fares.
Last Hearing on Subject.
author of the bill designed to force
a merger. through imposing an ex-
cess prof1tS tax. and who is a men,
Der OF the subcommittee on street
car legislation. told the COMMITTEES
that it is the intention Of Chairman
Zihlman of the subcommittee on the
merger that the hearing Friday shall
be the last on this subject, and that a
bill to induce voluntary merger will
soon be favorably reported.
Chairman Focht said that there is
no hope for merger as long as the
companies are allowed an Scent fare.
except by confiscating their property
and running the gauntlet of a Su-
preme Court decision. which would
take a couple of years. Representa-
the charter away under which the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company is allowed to own stock of
the Potomac Electric Power Company
This ownership. he said, keeps the
Washington Railway and Electric
profitable. he said. even though the
street car company may be losing
money.
Merger and Schools First.
Chairman Focht told the committee
that there were two major problems
Under consideration by the committee.
One is the question Of providing
adequate school facilities and the
oIhSA " ahNuSS a Sci ne SdlQ
that the former was progressing to-
ward satisfactory conclusion, and
advised that the House follow the
Senate's action. He said that the
merger was inviting a solution, and
that all interests are eager for it. The
big end to be achieved. he said, is re-
duction in street car fares.
Consider Mason Bill,
The Mason bill to regulate payment
Of fares to licensed drivers Of public
vehicles in the District was con-
sidered. w. ]. Brown, a public auto-
mobile driver, appeared as a witness
The drivers are seeking protection
against parties who hire their cars
and after using them for several hours
refuse to pay.
It was agreed that Representative
Kunz of Illinois. should rewrite the
bill SO as to give ample protection to
the hired vehicle drivers and to the
public.
Representative Edmonds of Penn
sylvania urged favorable report ON
a revised bill to establish a model
marine insurance law in the District.
He said that the revised bill met the
wishes of the Shipping Board, the
merchant marine committee, the Dis
trict Commissioners, the Ship Owners
Association and all other interests.
The new bill leaves out the pro-
posed tax Of IN per cent on all ma
rine insurance that went aboard.
The committee voted to postpone ac-
tion on this measure until Wednes-
day