Evening star., 1921-10-26
F0CHT AND OYSTER
T0CONFER ON NEW
STREET CAR BILL
Commissioner Sure He Has
Measure Which Will Settle
Merger Controversy.
ACTION HELD POSSIBLE
AT PRESENT SESSION
House District Committeeman In
tend to Abolish D. C. Utili-
ties Commission.

Chairman Focht of the House Dis
trict committee is to have a con-
ference tomorrow or next day with
District Commissioner Oyster, who
has notified him that he has a sub
stitute bill ready, which, he feels
confident. will settle the street rail-
way problem in the District.
The Commissioner this afternoon
said he is working on such bill,
but that he will not have it COM
pleted for a week or more. He did
not disclose the basis to be proposed
for the bringing together of the trac-
tion systems
Predicts Early Action.
Chairman Focht stated today that
he feels confident that if bill to
relieve the street railway situation
is reported out by the District COM
mittee. action by the House can be
had at this session. This statement
was made in reply to the suggestion
from democratics ources that Chairman
Focht has received orders from re-
publican leaders that no street rail-
way legislation would be considered
at this session.
Inc Rouse
said there are two District days re-
naming when legislation affecting
the District is supposed to have right
of way in the House. He said he viii
insist upon having District bills con-
Sidered on those two days, and that
if the street railway bill is reported
out it will have priority rights.
Discussion Put on.
The. House District committee met
today with the Woods revised street
railway merger bill as the order of
special business. The committee. how
ever, was notified that Mr.. Woods
ness to his bill Representative Ham,
mer of North Carolina. who an
nounced that he was opposed to the
mea sure. moved postponement until
Mr.. Woods could be present.
The only bill before the committee
is the new Woods bill. which is a
revamp of the measure recommitted
to the committee by the House two
weeks ago. ... 81 gissSszzs.s. -,
Up to late hour today no new bill
dealing with the street railway sit
uation had been introduced. 1t be-
came known. however. that confer
ences between members of the COM
mittee have resulted in a determined
effort to abolish the Public Utilities
Commission.
After Utilities Board.
Representative Keller of Minnesota
will offer as a substitute proposition
in place of the Woods bill, his own
old measure for municipal ownership
and operation of the street car COM
panies. 1t is the intention of Repre-
sentatives Sproul and Kunz of Illinois.
if the Keller amendment fails, to
then propose abolition of the Public
Utilities Commission.
Representative Lampert of Wiscon-
sin is ready to support either PROPOSE
ton and Representative Keller. if his
own proposal fails, is then ready to
support the Sproul-kunz proposition on
the ground that it will afford some
immediate relief to the residents of the
District. Representative Keller said
he would support this proposition be-
cause he is convinced that the Public
Utilities Commission does not enforce
the law as written and in practice. He
pointed out that if the Public Utilities
Commission is abolished. the street car
lines would be brought back to a
five-cent fare. as provided in their
charters. Then, if the street car COM
panies need a higher rate of fare, they
will have to deal with Congress.