The Washington herald., 1921-07-10

Sees 'Six-Cent Fares as
Result of Joining,
He Asserts.
WOULD LIFT BAN
ON FREE UNION
Claims Congress Would
Act If Owners Fail
To Unite.

Six-cent fares would follow a
merger of the two traction COM
panies, in the opinion Of Chairman
Focht of the House District Com
mittee, based on figures presented
in testimony before the committee.
A scent fare, or six tickets for
IS cents, cannot be realized without
a wage reduction. Focht said.
Focht expressed himself as op-
posing the settlement of the prob
lem on a basis of the iniquity of
former owners of one OF the roaos,
declaring that that is water passed
over the wheel" and what we must
do is to meet the present situa-
tion."
Sees Merger Some Time.
The program he approves, he
said, is first, giving the traction
companies the right to merge, 50
they can never complaint they did
not have that opportunity. and then,
IL they do not merge. to put the
screws on them"
After the merger is the time to
consider fare reductions" he said.
1T is impossible to tell how low
the fare can be made until that
time
The ability of consolidated
company to reduce fares cannot be
measured by a whim nor set by an
arbitrary conclusion. but must be
made according to facts arrived at
after Il is determined what reduc-
tion in overhead or operating cos
can be made through elimination
of one set of operating officials and
functioning agencies
Points Out Savings.
Being able to operate all lines
as a whole means that certain Sec
tions of the city would be relieve"
of congestion in rush hours by hav-
ing all street car trafic handled
by one skilled dispatcher. This
also would add to the income of
the merged company. -----za-z',
These two elements might make
possible a reduction to cents, ac-
cording to deductions I have made
from testimony presented before
the committee.
"I feel certain. how ever. that a
hve-cent or six-for-a-duarter fare
cannot be reached without an at
tack on the wages of the motormen
and conductors, which should by no
means be attempted until the cost
of living drops considerably.
Focht expressed confidence that
Congress would find a way to bring
about a merger, but declined to pre-
dict by what process.
1M. o. Disposed or
THE question of municipal owner
ship of the lines and electric plants
being eliminated" he said, I'VE are
now confronted with the problem
of working out a practical method.
The Ball bill, which introduced
in the House. is merely an enabling
act I introduced it to anticipate
the challenge likely to be offered
by the railway companies in case
pressure was put upon them without
first giving them an opportunity to
merge.
However. since this feature can
be more extensively elaborated upon
IN the Wood bill as we'll as other
amendemtns. 1 bellevue the COM
mittee can formulate a measure as
10 meet every demand looking to a
merger and consequent lowering of
fares on the theory 1 previously
advanced.
Il believe Mr.. Ball, like myself,
has no pride of authorship in his
bill and will he glad to cooperate
heartily in whipping together vari-
Gus ideas of value to obtain the
single objective, hope and purpose
Of the ommittee-improved service
and lower fares"
Confident of Merger.
What do you propose to do to
force a merger?" he was asked.
Il cannot conceive that the capi-
talists who own the two roads"
Focht replied, would waste time,
money and temper dallying around
about merging after getting the
right. since big business interests
rarely permit sentiment to stand in
the way of advantage.
"YYet IL there is obstinacy about
cooperating to produce lower fares
and better service, then / am GER
tain that Congress without hesIta-
tion viii find a way of forcing a
merger. By what exact process /
am not able to say since 1 am NOT
looking for anything so drastic.
Tt can be said with certainty
however, II such a conclusion is
reached, Congress can be depended
m and ruifA