The Washington times., 1921-07-04
REVEALS
PLANS FOR
D.C.M|ERCER
Newman Sets Forth Advantages
and Evils Of Ways to Com
bine Car Lines.
BY MAI. OLIVER P. NEWMAN.
Formerly President. Board Of Com

BY MAI. OLIVER P. NEWMAN.
Formerly President. Board of Com
missioners, Distriet Of Columbia
II you were a member Of the House
District Committee what would you
do about the street car situation!
That's a supposititious question so
far as the average resident of Wash
ington is concerned, but it is a very
real and troublesome question to the
twenty -one men who ARE members
of the committee.
NINE PROPOSALS OFFERED.
Up to this point. nine proposals for
solution of the problem have been
submitted to the committee. Hero
they are:
First--A proposal 10 permit the
merger Of the Washington Railway
and Electric with the Potomac Elec-
trio Power Company
second--A proposal to authorize the
merger OF tbs Washington Railway
and Electric. the Potomac Electric
Power Company and the Capital
Traction, without any proviso max
Ing the taking In of the power com
pany contingent on the merger OF
tho street car lines.
Third-A proposal TO authorize the
merger OF the Capital Traction and
the Washington Railway and Elee-
tric-with a proviso that II this Ia
done the power company may also
be taken in.
Fourth-A proposal to reduce or re-
peal the present tax OF 4 per cent on
the gross receipts Of both street rail-
way companies
Tif,h-A proposal TO reduce or re-
peal the present tax OF 4 per cent OF
the gross receipts Of both street rail-
way companiee-with a proviso that
the repeal will not be effective unless
the companies voluntarily marge.
Sixth--A proposal TO repeal the
public utilities commission law, by
which the District Commissioners are
made a pubic utilities commission
with authority to regulate public
utilities.
seventh-A proposal to PASS a bill
seven cents or four tickets for
quarter.
Eighth--A proposal to pass q bill
fxing a lower rate Of fare on the
Capital Traction lines than on the
Washington Railway and Electric.
Ninth--A proposal to pass a bin
under which both street car COM
panies would be condemned for pub
lie uses, taken over and operated by
che Government as one system.
EACH PLAN HAS BACKERs.
That's quite a list OF possible solu-
tions from which to choose. isn't IL?
Each idea has stanch friends in the
committee, from which can be OBJ
tained a pretty fair notion OF how
badly split up in opinion the com
mittee is and how much resolving haa
got to be done before any SPECIFIC
remedy can como out Of the com
mittee and stand q chance of getting
somewhere on the floor OF the House.
The people who favor number ono
claim all troubles will be over II the
Washingto on Railway and Electric and
Pepco are permitted to merge. Their
theory 10 that the railway company
can then charge more for electric
light, and thus make up losses on the
car lines. Very nice for the car
riders and the company but little
rough on consumers OF electric light.
Number two is practically the same
thing, with a little trimming. Under
II the Washington Railway and Elec-
trio could merge with the power
company. and then, II II and the
Capital Traction both wanted to, It
could merge with the Capital Trac-
tion. It happens the Capital Traction
doesn't want to, and II wouldn't be
any moro anxious II number two be-
came laC.
Number Three Is merely harmless
II removes the present legal prohibit
tion against merger Of the car COM
panies, and authorizes them to get
together II thoy want to. and then
also to include the Pepeo in the con-
solidation. Ono good thing thing may
be said for It. There Ia no loophole
In II whereby the Washington Rail.
way and Electric could merge inde-
pendently with the Pepco. But as a
means for getting the two principal
CONTINUED on Pass .. Column ~