The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-03-24
D I'LL 5
GIVEN IN
BRIE
Citizens VIII Be Without Propsr
Representation Unless $a,
600 = Raised for syIne.
BY VINCENT CALLAHAN.

BY VINCENT CALLAHAN.
How necessary il additional and
well-informed special legal talent
in the Potomac Electric Power
Company valuation case now
pending before the Supreme Court
Of the United States? What sort
Of ! company IS the Public Utili-
ties Commission fighting II this
case!
Conrad H. Syme, special coun-
sci for the commission, whose
work ends on July unless 81, 900
Is raised to continue him st the
post for another year, draws .
picture Of the company in his
brief on the case IS submitted 10
the high court.
Cites Concerns Attitude.
Its attitude was and ID that aIty
inquiry by public authority into ito
affairs Is an impairment int Cor.
ence, Mr.. Syme told the court
The Commissions counsel calls q
spade 3 spade and = club = club IN
| picturing this prosperous electric
company. He tells the court that.
the company hampers and delayed
k1he Commission when IL Wna seek
| ing 70 place value on the property.
| Speaking OF the investigation
| which the Commission made before
| 1t held public hearings ON the Valua-
tionss Mr.. Synne said:
The company said to the Com
mission in substance, Here. are the
books and records, and there 10 the
property. The information you de-
sire from the books may be some
where in them. Find It IL you can.
The property is scattered all over
the District Of Columbia. Find it II
you can. No questions win be
answered by US. =
Denies Aid I'm Inquiry.
Mr.. Syme also says il the com.
pany wanted the truth known and
that il it believed that the facts
surrounding its origin, development
and growth afforded it justifiabIe
pride in its career 1t made no
voluntary effort to disclose the
same.
"The company was in the per.
L
possessing privileges granted II by
good and in the exercise Of which
it was earning large sums Of
money Mr.. Syme said.
cit was under specific legal
obligation and duty to furnish the
public reasonable and adequate
service at fair and reasonable cost.
Notwithstanding. 1t took the posi-
ton that it owed not the slightest
obligation to the public to assist
in any way the ascertainment OF
any fact which would show or tend
to show how its duty was being
performed
The commissions counsel declared
that the company, for reasons Of
its own, not only rendered no as
sistapce to the commission In max.
ing a valuation. but ''indulged con-
tinuously in a species Of negative
Instructions, which hampered and
delayed the work and materially in.
creased Its cost to the public.s
1t is pointed out In the Supreme
Court argument that Justice Gould,
In his decision affirming the com.
missions valuation, also took coca.
sion to flay the company. He 10
Quotes Justice Gould.
'"The record discloses not only
that the power company in noWise
assisted the commission or its Off
GERS and assistants in making these
entertainments and estimates, but 1t
INDUCED in a system Of negative OBJ
struction far from commendable:
and while it may not have actually
concealed tho truth IN QYHy fnGfQnNQ-
it certainly put itself to no pains to
advise the commission Of any facts
relative to the extent, location or cost
of it's property"
Mr.. Syn1e declares that every ele-
ment of the situation at the time
the commission was seeking facts
regarding the history OF the COM
pany ana every sense OF duty surg
gested assistance to the commission
Representatives OF citizens $3.50
Citations which have endorsed the
campaign for the $4,000 fund de-
clared today that the argument or
Mr.. Syme before the Supreme Court
shows conclusively that the Com:
mission should have the best legal
talent available. Mr., Syme has been
in this case practically from the
start. He has watched every move :
made by the electric company.
AS soon as the valuation was COM
pleted, the company went into the
district Supreme Court. Mr.. Syme
fought the case in this court and
won it. The case then moved to the
District Court Of Appeals. Here
Justice .Gould's decision was re-
versed.
Now the case is practically at an
end. Everything depends upCn the
final windup. Mr. Syme, unless the
SO 900 Is raisea. viii not b in at the