The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-03-26
S.YME FUND
IS STILL
SHORT.
Citizens Asked to Contribute
It Services Of Special Counsel
Are to Be Retained. .


Cont. buttons from organiza-
lions and individual citizens to-
ward the $1,000 fund needed to
retain Conrad H. Syme as special
counsel in the Potomac Electric
Power Company valuation case
will be collected by The Washing
ton Times and The Washington
Herald.
Fifty-0ne thousand householders
and small business men who will
share in the $500, 900 impounded
fund If the Public Utilities Com
mission wins this case are given
an opportunity to aid the commits
sion in its fight to win this i'm
portant case.
Citizens VS.. PepcO.
This is the fight Of Mr.. Average
Citizen versus the powerful Poto-
mac Electric Power Company.
Washington's big business men are
not concerned in 1t. They will lose
or gain little, no matter what In
the result Of the case. But the
householder and small business
men, they viii get from SIT to 5000
each IL the commission wins.
In this paper and in The Herald
are published coupons which sub
scribers to the $1,000 fund should
tribution, to the Electric Power
Consumers Fund" care Of either
The Tines or The Herald
William Randolph Hearst, through
The Washington Times and Herald,
was the first contributor to this
fund, giving 1000. The Columbia
Typosraphical Union has given 5000.
the Connecticut Avenue Citizens
Association 800 and the Conduit
Road Citizens Association, $36.
bringing the total to 1885.
There still remains $1,665 to be
raised among the citizens land
various civic organizations Of the
city.
The average electric light con.
sumner has some $40 or $50 coming
back to him If this case is won in
the Supreme Court.
Not only does the consumer get
back a large sum Of money, but
the winning Of this case will assure
him against an increase in electric
rates, street car fares and gas
rates.
TIE winning Of this case will i'm.
mediately result in a reduction Of
the cost Of electric current. The
present rate will be cut down from
10 to 1857 cents per kilowatt hour,
practically one-fourth. It will mean
considerable saving to every citi.
zen.
ImpOunded Fund Is $500, 900.
Since August, 1917, the Potomac
Electric Power Company has set
aside about 20 per cent of all the
money collected from the average
consumer. This money has been
impounded. Now 1t totals close to
$780, 900.
It is most important that the
Public Utilities Commission win this
casa It is fight which should
have the support Of every citizen.
Conrad H. Syme has bee ! in the
fight since it started. He hows the
case from A to z.
Engineer Commissioner Charles
Kellar believes that Syme is the
man to fight the case in the higher
court. He believes he is the one
man who can win the case for the
commission.
Syme knows the power company
and knows how to fight 1t. In his
brief filed in the Supreme Court, he
gives his opinion of the company by
portraying this corporations attitude
in the valuation case since 1t first
began. He shows the type Of fight
the corporation has been making.
Syme ends his job as special coun-
sci on July 1. Congress has de-
creed that the Public Utilities Com
mission shall not longer pay special
counsel. 1t cut off any appropria-
ton which might be used to pay
Syme's salary.
Unless $4,000 is raised by July 1, the
commission will losc Syme's service.
However. the noted lawyers hired
by the electric company will continue
to fight for the corporation. The
absence Of Syme will be a big help to
them.