The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-07-16
NEWMAN INSISTS
j. S. CONTROL ONLY
TRACTION REMEDY
CONTINUED from First Pase)

Continued from First Page)
for the year ending April 30 last
was 5.64 per cent on the fair value
as fixed by the commission. vii.
liam +. Ham, the company's presi-
dent, explained with considerable
conviction to the commission and
audience Ito judge from appearances)
that any reduction below present
rates would be serious blow to his
corporation.
Clayton DISTINGUISHED.
The case of the people. presented
by William NICK. Clayton. of the
Federation of Citizens Associations,
was equally strong. It established
clearly the tremendous need, from
the standpoint OF the folks who pey
street car fares. of a reduction from
the present rates.
| or course, Mr.. Clayton has no
stSeet car stockholders behind him.
HIS point OF view Is necessarily that
OF the fellow who climbs on the car
and drops his token In the box.
Which is just as important for the
commission to consider as the desire
of the owners of the property to
make money.
Mr.. Clayton made a strong case
for a reduction on the Capital Trac.
ton lines, irrespective OF rates on
the Washington Railway and Elec-
trio. John r. Hanna, vice president
of the Capital Traction, made II pos
sible for Clayton to present a con.
vincing argument. by Hanna's offer
to accept a reduction.
why look a gift horse in the
mouth seems to be Clayton's atti-
tude. Especially when the horse is
an electric street car"
According to Clayton, IL the offer
of the Capital Traction is turned
down we will have the startling
spectacle Of a street car company
| asking for a lower fare and being
denied the privilege of reducing-a
situation that probably could not ex.
| list anywhere else in the world.
AS to what will happen to the
Washington Railway and Electric IL
lower rate of fare is fixed for the
Capital Traction. Clayton's attitude
| is. II should worry"
Get back to first principles, SO long
as we actually have competition in the
street car business" he said "and let
competition settle the problem"
Survival Of Fittest.
In other words, the doctrine Of the
survival of the fittest.
Now, IL you will keep In mind these
three phases of the whole situation, as
l have analysed them. you will under.
stand and, / hope, agree, with the
statements made at the beginning OF
| this article.
/. We have a problem solely be.
cause we have TWO street car sys.
TENS under different ownership.
2. The only practical solution is
Government ownership.
There's one more link in the chain
which makes my conclusion not only
a practical one but a necessity. That
Is the big fact, now clearly establishes
that under private ownership the two
systems WILL NOT COMBINE.
II there were but one street car
company the Public Utilities Commits.
sion could handle 1t like rolling off Of
little bit of a log.
AS long as there are two, and one In
rich and the other poor, the commits.
SION seems to be almost helpless.
There is one very definite, very az.
firmative thing the commission can do,
however. 1t can recommend to the
House and Senate District Commit
tees, now seeking light on the street
car problem, the merger of the two
big systems under Government own.
ership.
That would be the biggest step for
ward that could be taken at this time