The Washington times., 1922-01-08
SEEKS
RATE GUT FOR
D. c. UTILITIES
Tells Citizens Federation Re-
auctions Should Be Made by
Early Spring.

Rates on all District public utilities.
which expire by Limitation next March
and April. should be lowered, William
NICK. Clayton, chairman Of the public
utilities committee Of the Federation
of Citizens Associations, told the fed
Grafton at q meeting last night In the
board room of the District building.
Telephone rates have remained un-
changed since the ending Of the war,
he said. The war was over three years
ago and the time has come to cut
rates. This the company can do and
still receive fair and equitable return
on its investment. Clayton declared.
'"The gas company's rate OF $1.1O
thousand cubic feet can and must be
lowered" Clayton said. THE company
could have sold gas at 81 a thousand
cubic feet for the past month and have
earned fair return. OIL and coal are
both lowered, and there has been no
advance in labor or other material"
The fare charged by the Capital
Traction Company Is much too nigh,
Re said, and should be lowered as
soon as the limitation on the present
rate Of fare expires early in the spring.
Asks Car Fare Cut.
"The Capital Traction fare must be
lcwered to not more than seven cents
er four tokens for twenty-five cents. :"
he said Traffic has not slumped, az
predicted, and in the most recent
month reported. the net profit OF the
company has Appropriated cicce'y
that of the corresponding month Last
year. when the rate was four tokens
for thirty cents"
The rate OF return shown now by
the Capital Traction Company, Cioy-
ton said, Is between and 9h Der
cent.
Clayton tried to get his statement
efore the federation during the read
ing of reports by committees. but he
was declared out on a point Of order
Teacher Pay Discussed.
Jesse c. Suter. chairman Of the com.
m!ttee on education, who followed
Clayton in making a, report, was called
out of order by a member Of the fed
Grafton when he endeavored to make
verbal report that was not the report
Of the committee. He protested against
the gagging of committee .chairmen
and said that II this was to be the at.
titude Of the federation he would not
waste his time attending meetings
and that he would resign as a member.
After Suter had issued his ultima
tum he was allowed TO proceed. He
told the federation that his committee
would recommend increases to teachers
because good teachers were more to
he desired for the good Iof the schools
than new buildings. He said that
good teachers make a good school out
of an old building. but that poor
teachers could not make a good school
out of a new building.
The committee on membership.
through its chairman. II. Speilman.
recommended the admission Of the
East Washington Heights Citizens
Association and the Michigan Park
Citizens Association to membership
in the federation. On the matter OF
admission Of the Iowa Circle Citizens
Association, further time was asked.
Push Carts Under Fire.
The push cart vendors along Sew
enth and Ninth streets came In for dis
cussion and after a report had been
submitted, the chairman OF the COM
mittee, E. B. Henderson, asked that
1t be returned 10 his committee for
further action.
The recent membership drive by
the federation resulted in a deficit IN
funds, although 5000 new members
were obtained. II was decided to ask
the different citizens associations for
a contribution of s cents per capita TO
make up the deficit.