The Washington herald., 1921-06-30
When Merger Is Not Merger.

= U ONE VINO has ever watched politics from
" the side lines fail to admire the clever
ness with which the w. R. & E. interests
have bern handled in the District Committee Ad-
miration, however, would not carry Endorsement.
Politics she is worked" in the same old-fash-
ioued way never more exemplihed, and Con-
gressional organization to make this easy
fuore fully shown.
When the subcommittee merger reached the
srzge of vote, when talking for public consump-
or, and the record had to be made, the bill of Mr..
Keller who is not member of the subcommittee,
got just the four necessary votes of Representatives
sshasnpert Walters, Hammer and Kunz, with Repre-
sentatives Zihlman, Sproul and Woods against it.
This bill provides for municipal ownership of all the
District public utilities. In it Representative Keller
expresses his convictions, but believes it has
a ghost of a show become law and the friends
OF the railway utility quite willing it should
hzys complimentary consideration They do not
fear it.
,EIjReprcsentative Hammers BILL however, is a
mote dangerous proposition. 1t might be hard
measure to defeat the floor of either the House
on the Senate. 1t would disclose the street railway
situation fully which is exactly what is wanted
II was promptly blackjacked with tie vote.
MYsrs Hammer Lampert and Kunz voting for it
and Messrs. Zihlman, Walters and Wood against it.,
S~h1e Mr.. Sprou withheld his ballot. A man on a
gsnoping horse could read just what this meant
au2how it done The method is so old as to
: shopworn.
If it is humanity possible only the Bal-Focht
will be permitted to get before either the House
rthc Senate This is not street railway bill in
b sense it allows the w. r. & E. to ab-
h, ID four suburban lines which it has always
c.Jmed were membranes and revenue losers. Its
Ne purpose hidden somewhat in a lot of wholly su-
huous words, is to let the w. R. & E. absorb
= Potomac Electric Power Company which it al
tsdy owns through the ownership Of all the stock.
-5at the P. E P. is distinct corporation and
= : such the utilities commission can regulate the
e charged for electric service to reasonable dvi-
TEND its 100000 of stock after paying interest
on over Sill 100000 of bonds.
The Ball-Focht bill by wiping out this stock
would leave measure for reasonable profits 1t
would make the two, separate and distinct pub
lie utilities, one. Their revenues would be COM
--kned. The profits would, is believed have to be
measured to profits the w. R. & E's ST. 5000 900
OF stock every dollar of which is water according
TO- the utilities commission valuation and which
- The railway, such, has never been able to earn
any dividends. 1t would also have to make up
present losses the four suburban lines the bill
aoud add to the w. R. & E. burden, which shows
the Chuck" in that part of the bill.
The bill as a whole is not in any line or word
merger bill the is commonly used in
this District. 1t is but bald attempt to saddle on
the people of the District a perpetual burden of
over SI5ooo,ooo-to be exact $I62soooo-of the
overcaptaliation of the w. R. & E. railway utility
as disclosed by the valuation report. 1t is bill
N behalf of this corporation. The bill of Senator
King having been killed in the Senate District Com
mittee, is believed that the Ball-Focht measure
can be pushed through both bodies. Perhaps it can.
Ths District of Columbia has always been sort of
Congressional Little Orphan Annie" 1t may be it
: is-sp to continue. But The Herald still has faith
that majority of both House and Senate are toto
fair and too plain honest to let mere Congressional
courtesy tip the scale