Evening star., 1921-06-29
Vote on Woods and Keller
Bills Deferred Until Next
Wednesday.
ALL WOULD RELIEVE CITY,
BUT DIFFER ON METHODS
Taxation, Merger and Municipal
Ownership Form Basis of
Hot Debates.


mittee on whatever legislation is to
be reported to the House for a solu-
tion of the street railway problem in
Washington was deferred until after
the meeting mex: Wednesday by the
House District committee today.
The committee agreed to meet to-
morrow morning at 10 o'clock. when
Representative Keller Of Minnesota.
author Of the bill for municipal own
ership and operation of the street car
lines. Is to continue the presentation
of his bill begun today.
When the committee recessed today
the motion pending before the COM
the Keller bill and the Woods bill
for levying an excess profits tax
which would equalize the earnings Of
the two street railway companies.
Representative Lampert of Wiscon-
sin moved a favorable report on the
Keller bill. Representative Underhill
OF Massachusetts moved as subst-
tute that favorable report should
be made on the Woods bill The SUBJ
stitute motion will be disposed Of
first. but it was agreed that no such
action will be taken until all meas
ures reported from the subcommittee
have been adequately presented to the
committee.
Newman to Testify.
Waiting to testify in support Of
municipal owership today was Maj
Oliver P. Newman. former chairman
Of the board Of District Commission
ers. Representative Keller expects to
Introduce Maj. Newman in support Of
the Keller bill tomorrow morning.
Although there is an agreement that
no vote shall be taken on the street
railway legislation until next Wednes-
day. several members Of the commit
tee asked in open meeting today that
their votes be recorded. Representa-
tive OBrien of New Jersey asked to
be recorded as against municipal
ownership. Representative Blanton of
Texas asked to be recorded as opposed
to both the Keller and the Woods bills
Chairman Zihlman Of the special
subcommittee which has been con-
sidering all measures introduced for
the relief OF the traction situation, in
making his report, explained briefly
the Keller bill. on which the subcom-
mittee made a favorable report. and
all other measures, which were re-
ported by the subcommittee without
recommendation
SENTATIVE Zihlman said that
personally he believed that there
should be punitive provision il the
street car systems do not merge, by
putting into effect a differentiai fare
on their respective lines
Clash Over Woods Bill,
Representative Hammer of North
democrats. had a spirited clash over
the efficacy of the Woods bill
Representative UnderhiN of Massa-
chusetts and Lampert of Wisconsin
also had a difference of opinion.
Representative Blanton recorded
opposition to the Keller bill prin-
cipally on the ground that it has no
chance to pass the House. Repre-
sentative Blanton opposed the Woods
bill. saying that the tax relief pro-
vision would be taking money out of
one pocket and putting 1t into an
other H advocated repeal of the
utilities back on their charter basis.
Let the Capital Traction Company.
II 1t Is able. carry people for a scent
fare. and IL the Washington Railway
AND Electric Company cannot meet it,
then let the Washington Railway and
Electric go to the bow-wows"
Representative Underhill said that
most Of the so-called remedies are
worse than the disease. He reviewed
the history Of public utilities in
Massachusetts. He contended that
any TAX on street railway Is paid
by the car riders. He favored the
Woods bill, because it would take
these taxes from the street railways
and put them on to the users of the
highway.
Need More Than Hot Air.
You can't run a street railway on
hot air as you run Congress-" Repre-
sentative Underhill said in arguing
that some practical businesslike solu-
ton of the situation here must be
adopted by the committee.
representative Keller argued that
the Woods bill would make condi-
tions favorable for the Washington
0Railway and Electric Company, so
that that corporation would be ad-
verso to a merger. He said that there
is one thing particularly in mind,
consolidation Of the street railways
SO as to get the most economical
service for the people. All public
utilities. Representative Keller said.
should be given at cost to the people
and this can be done, he argued, only
through municipal ownership and
operation. He estimated that this
would mean a relief of 5000 a wear
to each family in Washington. Rep
resentative Keller reviewed a mass
Of statistics showing how the mu-
nicipally owned and operated street
car lines in Washington could be
financed and run at profit IL his bill
is adopted.