Evening star., 1921-08-09
Rate by Mail-Payable in Advance.
MaryIaDd and Virginia.
The Traction Question.

Tomorrow. if present expectations
are realized. the House District COM
mittee will meet and take up for con-
sideration the pending bill for the cor
rection of the street railway troubles.
This measure.i favored by i majority
of the committee up to this time. pro-
poses to permit the merger of the two
main traction systems and the Poto-
mac Electric Power Company, thus
putting into one corporation all the
power and traction facilities at the
capital. AS a means to the end of eff
fecting such a merger it proposes to
change the method of taxation, shift
ing from gross to net revenues.
Such a measure is best calculated
to provide a remedy for the present
ills from which corporations and the
public are suffering. There is no war
rant or demand for municipal owner
ship. proposed by some as correc-
tion. No relief would lie in the aboli-
tion of the Public Utilities Commits
sion. The practical question relates
to the best means Of bringing into IL
single system the two now distinct
corporations. which if united would
yield the District an admirable serv
ice. with a broad foundation for future
development and with facilities for
carrying the people speedily and safe
ly for a reasonable rate of fare.
At present the trouble is that ono
of the two systems cannot carry the
people as cheaply as the other system.
owing to heavy overhead charges and
the ownership of a large trackage of
at present Improbable but eventu-
ally valuable lines. Zone fares are not
desired by the public, and so the long
suburban lines. not yet profitable. re-
main a drag upon the more heavily
patronized urban lines. Obviously two
different rates Of fare cannot be es-
tablished. cheaper on the now more
prosperous system and dearer on the
other, without increasing the Difficult.
ties of the latter through loss of pa.
tronage and without unduly burdening
the line of cheaper fares with traffic.
The rate OF fare at which a merged
street railway system could profitably
carry the people lies undoubtedly at
a lower point than that which the
utilities commission has fixed. The
people want a lower rate of fare,
provided they get adequate service.
They do not want to send either COM
pany into the hands of receivers. They
do not want the Washington Railway
and Electric Company to abandon the
suburban lines. which are now a finan-
cial drag upon it.
Undoubtedly there is some degree
of public prejudice against the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Company,
the result of serious mistakes Of man.
agement in the past, in the treatment
of both the people and the employees.
But that time has gone and there is a
new management. considerate of both
public and workers. The service is inn
proved, as rapidly as possible the
tracks are being brought up to stand
ard, after some years of decrepitude.
due in large part to war conditions.
The prejudice is being dissipated by
this showing of good faith.
Merger may be difficult Of attain
ment. Much depends upon the ques-
tion of valuation. concerning which
there is a pronounced difference of
opinion between the companies and
between them and the utilities COM
mission. But in any case there should
he a change in the basis Of taxation,
to net instead of gross revenues.
There should be relief from the wholly
unwarranted burden of the cost of
crossing police service. which is
municipal charge not assignable by
any fair rule as charge against the
roads.
Tomorrow's meeting Of the District
committee will be fruitful if it results
in agreement to present the Woods
bill. with some notifications. to the
House for early passage. The people
of the capital hope for such action.