Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-07-20

the quality were improved. The
Councilman called on the Mayor this
morning.
lars from the city that we owe you."
THAT much, just a paltry million,
Is enough to buy food and possibly life
for many hundred babies, and he speaks
of not meeting these obligations to the
city as Il that was. the proper thing to
do. This confession coming from a
radical or Bolshevist would not be sur
prising, but the line of demarcation with
wealth and the Bolshevist with imag-
mary wrongs are not so very far apart
as one would imagine when 1t comes to
complying with the law.
Reports Ignored
"a gas commission was appointed,
investigations made, money spent to
protect the peoples interest. Reports
presents an ordinance declaring we
must pay ten cents more per thousand
cubic feet when we are already paying
nearly eighty cents more at the present
time than We formerly did.
Fearing high sounding, confusing
figures are benefit only to the com
pany. The change is made from the
old heating unit, the inferior heat is
handed out and the housewife puts on
her pot to boil or her pan to bake, and
from an experience Of years. the pot
should boil or the contents of the pan
should bake in a certain time. She
finds that 1t takes twice as long under
the new gas to produce her supper as It
did under the old conditions.
'She begins n little investigation Of
her own, not in confusing figures that
experts from the company produce. but
in twenty five cents which she takes
from her pocketbook and she realizes
that the company has, like the scientific
and prosperous farmer, made two
blades Of grass grow where one did
formerly. The company has received
two twenty five cent pieces where they
formerly received one, and in spite Of
all this the ordinance declares that the
consumer must pay more and more.
The company tells US 1t must have
temporary relief. All right, take it
from your surplus earnings. If steal
ing million from the city will give you
relief, why, for goodness sake, be n
little decent and take it from the sur
plus earnings That is what all other
peoples or business must do in time
of trouble or in distress.
Says Company Can Help Itself
1.-The company is shouting for relief
and salvation like the shipwrecked
sailor who sat for q day and night In a
boat awaiting help when he could have
walked ashore without help had he
known the beach he was on. And we
feel sure the company can help itself
from its surplus earnings If 1t
wants to.
"There are 1900 stockholders and
4OO, 900 consumers. Who is getting the
worst of it, the stockholder or the con-
sumer?
1T is fact that the best interests Of
and legislative branches of the City
Government are working together. This
is not the case at present. The ordi-
nance OF the legislative branch in ask
ing the Mayor to sign this ordinance is
passing the buck. They know this is
| not solution Of the problem confront
Ing them. / am sure the Mayor has
thought the matter over and we believe
in. his fairness and that he will veto
this ordinance"
Mr.. Allison said he represented CO.,
600 persons, including members of
nineteen trade unions and their fami :
Iltss IIt DOlAJ OuJ lHuJ UluIy ulpU uTG
out of work because of the building
trade strike.
Fluck Reads Letter
Th following letter to the Mayor was
presented by Charles /. Fluck, repre- =
senting the Northwest Business Men S
Association. and placed in the records
'"The Northwest Business Mems AS
sociation postponed action, at my sug-
gestion. on the report of the Gas Com
mission, to allow fullest opportunity
for studying it.
In view of the action taken BY
Council, which would increase the gas
rate to the consumer, feel compelled
to express an opinion on the subject.
mot on behalf Of the association, but
on behalf Of many persons who have ap-
preached me on the subject, and on be-.
half Of an organized sentiment in
Northwest Philadelphia. protest
against the ordinance and request you
to veto It.
Favors Weglein's Plan
"In making this request, it is with
the hope Council may reconsider and
arrange for passage of an ordinance
embodying the plans brought forward by
.
As I understood it, his plan would
maintain the price Of gas to the con =
sumner at one dollar per thousand cubic
feet.
There is q widespread objection to
the increase of the price at this time
and there is universal protest against
the quality now being supplied by the
I. G. l. Co. with the temporary sane
ton of the city.
II have studied the report Of the gas
commission as closely as my limited
opportunities would permit and the
study has produced mixed emotions.
Petition Against Increase
The North Penn Improvement Asso
citation drafted a petition last night
against the proposed gas price boost
at meeting in the Twenty eighth Ward
Republican Club. Among those present
Club. Among those present We're j. f.
were J. L. Brennan, chairman; Roy
| Pressman, State Representative Miller
and Morris Joseph. The petition fol-
lows:
I'VE, the citizens of the Twenty
eighth ward, keenly appreciate your
endeavors to prevent the Increase In the
gas rate, and we beg to submit our
sentiments on the present situation.
1--WE believe a dangerous situation
Confronts u.s. political cRbal has once
more risen to power. Our representa- =
tive in Council that once espoused the
cause Of good government has deserted
US. He has gone back to his proper
comrades.
I'VE recall to Your Honor the ga.