The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-01-05
ASKS
LAWYER
FORO.C.
Zihlman Also Seeks to Have
Utilities Counsel
Retained.

mental blunder" the failure of
those responsible to include in
the District estimates an appro-
priation for a special counsel for
the Public Utilities Commission,
Congressman Frederick N. Zihl
man of Maryland today announced
that he would introduce in the
House next week bill providing
tor retention of this official.
Will Seek ID. C. Counsel.
He also announced his intention
OF going even further along this
line and introducing a bill which
would create the office of a
peoples counsel" who would act
as an official mouthpiece for the
people Of the District Of Columbia.
This counsel would be charged
with the duty of initiating action
in the interests of the people of
Washington and of representing the
interests of the public in matters
of public character Of every de-
scription, he explained.
He would be charged with the
duty Of appearing for the people
of Washington in hearings before
Congress. His duties would be sim.
liar to those of the counsel for the
public utilities commission. only on
a much broader scale.
Congressman Zihlman, whose de-
cision to take this step was made
through an editorial by Bill Price
in The Washington Times Thurs
day, said:
1.-THE interests of the people Of
the District. who have no official
means Of voicing their needs, de-
mand that they be given a peoples
counsel
Baltimore Has Counsel.
Baltimore has such a counsel,
whose activities are proving of i'm.
mense benefit to the people of that
city. An illustration Of the nature
of his work is given in the recent
gas case won by the people there.
The peoples counsel appeared in
court on behalf of the citizens to
fight against the poor quality of
gas delivered in Balti-
more homes. He won his case and
the court ordered either a reduction
Of the rates or an increase in the
quality Of the gas.
AT present the District has to
rely largely on the activities OF
public spirited citizens to voice it's
needs with regard to the city's
needs. This work should be en-
trusted to peoples counsel, whose
sole interest it would be to pro.
tect the interests of the people and
who alone would be responsible for
failure to do so.
II believe that this official should
be appointed by the President and
that he should act in the closest
possible cooperation with the heads |
Of the District Government but that
he should be the first in every H..
stance to safeguard the needs of |
Washington people, irrespective of |
the stand taken by District officials.
Under Eye Of People.
He would be SO continually in |
the limelight that he could take no |
action foreign to the interests of |
the people without creating a storm
Of disapproval which would lead TO |
his removal"
Zihlman stated that he was
heartily in accord with the view
voiced by Bill Price with regard
to the special counsel to the pub.
lie Utilities Commission,
"The mildest thing 1 can say
about the. failure to retain the
services of the special counsel is
that it is a foolish piece of false
economy to drop this counsel in
view OF the tremendously important
public utility cases now pending in
the local courts he declared.
Conrad Syme. having proved his
ability in connection with these
cases. which 1 understand
involve the sum of $4,000, 900 of the
peoples money, should be retained
in this office. It's a crime some.
thing isn't done about it,"
Congressman Henry l.. Rathbone.
Of Illinois, a new member of the
House District committee. also de.
nounced the failure to continue the
appropriation for the retention of
Syme,
at is certainly regrettahle that
his special counsel should have
been dropped in the very middle of
he fight for the valuation cases
which 20 deeply affect the interests
u the public" he declared.