The Washington times., 1923-02-04
COUzENSFLAYS
GAR COMPANIES
/. IN BALLOT PLEA
Michigan Senator BIames High
Fares on InterIocking DlreC-
torates and High Salaries
TAKES CITIZENS TO TASK
Amazed by Patience With
conditions-Advocates Car
Merger or U. S. Ownership

In scathing analysis Of thu
street railway situation in Wash.
ington, and urging the ballot as thu
only means of remedying munich.
pal ills, Senator James Couzens
of Michigan, last night made his
first public appearance in this city
when he addressed the Federation
of Citizens Associations in the
board room Of the District Build
ing.
Attacking the disfranchised con.
dition of Washington citizens, Sena
tor Couzens attributed the domi
nation Of municipal corporations tt
the fact that the people are help
less in the selection of city off
cials entrusted with the regulation
of these companies. Adequately
substantiated by figures and sta
tistics, the speech lays bare the
street railway nanipulations where
by the companies have been able
to levy what was described as q
wholly unjustifiable tax on the
Washington people. He said:
BITTER IN SPEECH.
Il demurred at coming here to-
night, realizing that no matter
what might say, it would do
no good, or that any conviction
I might carry to you would not
be able to be expressed in the
ballot box / believe that is the
most unusual condition Of affairs
existing among free people. Ger
tainly If / were q resident Of
Washington would not content
myself to be governed and taxed
without representation. It il so
unusual that wonder why you
stand for 1t.
1t would appear that you should
have at least so per cent Of the
say of what your laws should be
and Of the amount of money
you should be taxed and how that
money should be expended. If
controlled these citizens organi-
cations / would conduct a strenu-
Gus and continuous campaign for
representation.
FLAYS REGULATIONS.
I gather that you have in.
adequate school facilities and
know you have the poorest light
ed city In the United States. You
also have the poorest public utili-
ties regulations possible among
free people.
I have been studying the street
railway situation and it is be.
yond my comprehension why 1t
The Capital Traction Company,
lett 80 Cd yfN vraflA@ ~
single track, with forty-eight
miles of underground trolley,
carries a capitalization at the
rate of $275,000 per mile. while
Detroit has a capitalization Of
less than 100000 per mile. They
have forty eight miles of under
ground lines, which is somewhat
more expensive, but nothing like
an average of two and three
quarter times as much capitaliza-
ton as the Detroit system.
The records show that in 1895
$5,155, 900 worth of water was put
into the system. This water may
have been absorbed, because in
June, 1919, your Public Utilities
Commission valued the property
at some $217 900 a mile.
The Washington Railway and
Electric Company, with 1913 miles
of single track, of which 63 miles
are underground, apparently has
q more modest capitalization, be-
ing about SIPS 900 per mile, with
capitalization Of 20 per cent in ex-
cess of its value. However, q
study Of the salaries Of the eight.
cen officers is interesting.
SALARIES DRAW IRE.
am informed twelve are
charged jointly to the railway COM
pany system and to the Potomac
Electric Power Company, and that
four are charged to the railway
company and two are charged to
the power company. The totals
show that over one-half Of the to-
tai salaries, $6O,750 out Of $117,-
900, Is charged to the power COM
pany alone. And of the twelve
jointly charged general officers.
the power company pays SAL ,2b0
Of the aggregate Of $77,5OO, or 6S.S
per cent.
The pro rating Of these salaries
in this manner raises the cost OF
power, and you may answer that
1t automatically saves the car
riders, but in that connection the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company, with only 1913 miles OF
line, is supporting q decidedly ex-
cessiVe overhead in the way OF
salaries.
In Detroit we have about S66
miles of track, with q general
manager at $4,000 per year, and
an assistant general manager at
$4,000 per year. while the general
manager Of the Washington Rail-
way and electric Company gets
$4,000 per year-$15,00O Is
charged to the electric company.
Take the Capital Traction Com
pany, which has only sixty-four
miles to operate. The president
gets SIS, 900 and the vice president
$4,000: the secretary and treasur-
en-, $1,000, and a lawyer, $4,000.
All we have in Detroit Is a claims
counsel at $4,000 per year. for. q
railroad nearly three times the
size.
If the railroads cannot combine
and operate under one manage
ment. and that management be
required to furnish carfares at
a scent fare, with possibly a
penny extra for transfers, then
both companies should be abol-
ished and the system taken over
by the Government, SO that you
might have a unified and simpli-
fled management at a minimum
cost.
MY attention has been drawn
TO the fact that out of fifteen