The Washington times., 1923-03-08
CAR FARES WILL
JUMP IF D. c.
LOSES SUIT
Conrad Il. syne Explains
Status In So, ooo, 900
Pepoo Suit.

Conrad II. Syne. former District
corporation counsel and special
counsel for the Public Utilities Com
mission, in statement today de.
clared that IL the District loses tho
Potomac Electric Company's, vaIua.
ton case now in the Supreme Court
rates OF street car fares probably
Mr.. Syne also discussed the CUES
tinr OF his continuing az special
counsel for the Commission.
Text Of Statement.
The statement follows:
A Times reporter called upon
Conrad II. Syne this morning in
his office In the Continental Trust
Building, and asked him what his
attitude would be after July ! with
reference to further representation
of the public In the matter OF the
valuations Of the Potomac Electric
Power Company and the street rail
way companies.
{ Mr.. Syfne said that when he re-
signed as corporation counsel and
general counsel Of the Public Utili-
ties Commission he had not sought
employment az special counsel and
had only undertaken the work at
tho earnest request OF the Public
Utilities Commission and as a mat
ter of public duty and that because
OF the recent action Of Congress in
providing that no part of the APP
preparation for the commission
should be used for the employment
Of special counsel, he did not well
see how he would be able to repre-
sent the commission after July i,
when his official connection with
the commission would cease by
operation of law.
He said that when Congress took
this action, Colonel Keller, without
his knowledge, had written to the
Board Of Trade and other civic
organizations, suggesting that funds
should be raised for his retention
In this service and that he thought
Colonel Keller had acted perfectly
right In calling public attention TO
the fact that the action OF Congress-
had prevented the employment OF
himself or any other lawyer as
special counsel in these valution
cases.
Felt IL His Duty. !.
He said further that when he
appeared before the Senate Com
mittee he advised that committee
that so long az one dollar was
appropriated which could legally
be paid for special counsel that he
proposed to continue the work; but
that at least one dollar would
have to be appropriated as other.
wise his employment in an offle1aEs
3capacity would be contrary to ex-s
listing law, which does not permit
THE District Commissioners or the
Public Utilities Commission to &C
cept gratuiteus service.
Mr.. Syme further said that he
had heretofore performed this serv-
Ice as special counsel because he
felt 1t his duty to the people or
Washington to do so regardless OF
the fact that the amount paid was
utterly inadequate considering the
magnitude and the responsibility Of
the work, but that he would have
done the work just the same il only
one dollar had been appropriated to
make the employmeI1t legal He said
that If he appeared in these cases
after July 1t could be done only by
an authorized intervention on the
part of consumers Of electric energy
who were interested in the impound-
ed fund and therefore in the valIa-
ton, and possibly also so far as the
street railway cases were, cOncerned
on behalf Of street car patrons,
whose rates of fare would probably
be increased If the valuations placed
upon the road by the Public Utili-
ties Commission were defeated or
increased.
Mr. Syme said he thought he had
done his full duty in the matter.
and that his connection with the
litigation after July / would de-
pend upon whether or not the pub
lie, which was vitality interested in
the impounded fund of $4,000, 900.
and In the valuations which would
become the basis of rates for the
future, both for electric light and
street car service. desired to be di-
rectly represented by him in inter
vening in these proceedings, and that
this was for those in interest TO
determine.