The Washington times., 1921-02-05
WOULD BLOCK
CAR COMBINE
Pepco Absorption Aimed to De-
feat Traction Fusion, Ayers
D. C. Committee Head.
DENoUNcEs GOULD BILL
Files Minority Report and viii
Carry Attack to House
Floor, If Necessary.

Declaring 'it is unnecessary to
shed too many copious tears over ths
financial condition Of the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company"
Chairman Carl e. Mapes of the
House District Committee, today ex-
posed the proposal in the Gould bill
to merge that company with the
Potomac Electric Power Company
as a ruse by which the former cor
poration is trying to stave off con-
solidatiOn of Washington's two
street railway systems.
FILES MINORITY REPORT.
By fling a minority report against
the Gould bill. Chairman Mapes
merger with the "Pepco" Company
which he intends to carry to the floor
of the House, II necessary, to defeat
the purpose OF the Washington Raii-
way and Electric Compapy Ito DO
away with. the 2oteltsac Electrtr
Power CpsnpnAy a. 3 separate entfty.w
:. SIt IL 1e&hing which has been
6ssired for . number of years by the
Washington.r RAlaSvxy-'apAsfa aa1G6cts4c
Company--in fact. long before ! con-
so1ldation of the two remaining street
car systems operating within the Dis
trict was seriously considered" Mapes
warns Congress.
Instead of having q tendency to
bring about their consolidation, 1t In
more likely to have the directly op-
posite effect and to make a consolidar
tion more difficult and improbable.
III the absorption Of the Potomac
Electric Power Company by the
Washington Railway and Electric
hA
consolidation of the two principal
street car systems in the District, II
might be justified in order to accom-
plish the greater good, but the pres
ent bill standing alone ought not to
pass"
HIS PROTESTS IGNORED.
The Gould bill which Chairman
Mapes' report attacks so savagely.
was reported to the House by a vote
OF IL to 1, without hearings. 1t
received little dis suss!Cn in com
mltfee. Mapes, for the reason he
sets forth alone vigorously opposed
it's being reported. The committee
ignored his protests.
The position that Mapes has .aken
clearly indicates that he regards the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company as using the paw" OF the
House District Committee to rake its
chestnuts out of the fire.
Mapes chief bone OF contention Is
that the Gould bill makes no mention
that its passage is in no way condi-
toned upon the consolidation of the
two street car systems. 1t leaves out
all mention of the Capital Traction
Company.
Believeing that the Washington
Railway Company is trying to pull
ha 90
Chairman Mapes has conferred with
House leaders and has laid his cards
upon the table. He intends to fight
IL out along this line in the hope of
frustrating the proposed merger with
the electric power company.
NO CHEAPER ELECTRICITY.
Consolidation of the Washington
Railway and Electric Company with
the Potomac Electric Power Com
pany, he contends, will not lower the
cost of electricity to the users of
the District.
There may be some good argu-
ment in favor of the proposed legis-
lation," says the report, but IL is
submitted that It is not a necessary
function of a street railway corpora
tion to sell light and power to the
individual private users thereof, and
to permit the same to be done will
not help to solve the very perplexing
street car situation within the Dis
trict of Columbia.
'Tt Is difficult to predict with any
certainty what the result of the pas
sage of the bill will be, but IL Is safe
to say that in itself IL will not lower
the bill to the private consumers of
light and power within the District OF
Columbia.
at would simply add to the COM
plexity OF an already complex stock
situation, so complex that no one short
of an expert is able to figure out how
much OF the common stock OF the
Washington Railway and Electric
company represents value and how
much water"
The street car situation within the
District of Columbia, with two differ
ant llp~s under separate and distinct
subnag&rnent, In quite impossible"
"a r.H irman Mspes.
E{** two systems ought to he
s<<y or consolidated into one com
not by voluntary action OF
Up n.y. I'd of directors and stockhoId-
ts&talAshe two companies, then Con
Fress should pass Legislation which
would compel then 20 do so.
1T Is not necessary to shed too