The Washington herald., 1922-03-13
New Bill Would Abolish
Utilities Commission
And Regulations.
HOUSE MEMBERS !.
FOR DRASTIC PLAN
Demands Traction Lines
Live Up to Terms of
Charters.
A five cent street car fare.

A five cent street car fare.
Abolition Of the Public Utilities
Commission.
Notification of all laws promulgat-
ed by the Public Utilities Commits
sion.
These are the drastic remedies to
be applied to, the traction situation
In the District as planned by sever
al members of the House District
Committee who claim to have the sup
port OF n majority of members in
the House. II was learned yesterday.
While the merger question seemed
to be lying dormant in Congress. it
developed that several active MEM
bers of the House District Committee
had been holding meetings for the
purpose of comin4 to some decision
on the street car situation that
would bring about a lower fare and
merger of the two companies.
Compromise on Hammer Bill.
These caucuses il was announced
yesterday resulted in a compromise
on the Hammer bill. the purpose of
which is to abolish the Public Utili-
ties Commission and all laws and
regulations promulgated by that
body.
Representative William c. Ham,
mer. author of the bill. explained yes
terday that the underlying purpose of
car companies back upon their orig
.inal charters which called for a five
cent fare. The notification of the
law creating the commission would
automatically have this effect. he
pointed out.
The bill as drawn by Representa-
tive Hammer has been submitted to
several members of the House who
expressed the opinion that It would
be upheld by the courts and de-
clared that they would heartily sup
port such bill as being the logical
solution Of. an 'saggravated condition
Favsrs Drastic Remedy.
Representative Elliott w. sproul of
the House District Committee has re-
peatetiIy spoken in. favor OF this
means of bringing about a consoli-
dation of the companies.
Friends of the Hammer bill stress
the fact that although the means to
accomplish the desired effect may
seem DRASTIC ether attempts to bring
about an Improved condition have
failed because the tenor Of the House
was adverse to temporizing legisla-
ton.
Speeches in the House during the
discussion on the Woods bill to per-
nit a consolidation of the Washing
ton Railway and Electric company
with the Capital Traction company
and the Potomac Electric Power COM
pany are claimed to be indicative OF
the desire of the Lower House to deal
with the traction companies drastical-
ly. The recommitment of the bill Is
used as a conclusive argument that
Congress is in no mood to grant fur
ther concessions to the street car
companies.
Blames Traction Companies.
Dilatory tactics on the part of the
traction companies have been criti-
cised by Chairman Focht of the House
Distrist Committee wko predicted that
unless there was some indication
that the street car companies were
willing to get together dire things
might happen to them almost with
out warning.
Some day Congress will tire of
this attitude of the street car COM
panies and during a lull in business a
bill to force merger will go through
like a shot," the chairman predicted.
Advocates of the Hammer bill
claimed yesterday that they would
be able to produce a majority when
the bill is brought up in the Dis
trict Committee
Chairman Ball of the Senate Dis
trict Committee has introduced a bill
in the Senate, the purpose of which
to the Hammer measure.
1t is claimed in the Senate that little
opposition will be offered to this bill
when brought up in the upper house.
Duties Press Commission.
The District Commissioners COM
prising the Public Utilities Commits
sion are absolved from any blame for
the existing conditions owing to the
volume of work that is passing
through their hands. Members of Con-
gress in advocating the abolition of
the utilities commission emphasize
the desirability of taking this re-
from the shoulders Of the
Commissioners. who, they claim, are
pressed with strictly city matters and
should not be expected to settle the
questions arising out of utilities dis
putes.
Prior to the creation of the Pub
lie Utilities Commission these mat
ters were handled by Congress and
considerable pressure is being
brought to bear upon Congress by
certain Of its members to bring the
local utilities companies back under
n NrxvNr II