Evening star., 1924-04-15

roads income The community has a
tight to require and imposes upon
the Utilities Commission the duty to
require: ID n high standard Of street
than n mere living wage to the work.
ers who operate the road; CD pay
ment Of such fares, equitAbly impOs-
ed, and such wise and fair rendjust-
mcnt of taxes by Congress as will
enable the company to render the
wages exacted, to meet other ex-
pensex of economical administration
ond to make reasonable return In
interest or dividends to those whose
money lis invested in the roads.
The Public Utilities Commission
representing the whole community. is
to regulate income and outgo in such
fashion that they will offset each
other. If outgo exceeds income, ex-
perience and the Micawber philoso-
ply teach that misery results.
The difficulties of the present sit
uation should not force us into mum, NUM-
and confiscatory solution of the
troublesome problem. Congress and
the Public Utilities Commission may
be relied upon to work out in the end
an equitable solution.
Success of Regulation by Government.
The records of Washington show
that government regulation of these
public service corporations at the
Capital has not been a failure and
to The Stars campaign against over
head wires and especially its fight
against the overhead trolley for
urban use Congress bafffed the over
head trolley syndicate's desperate ef-
forts TO get the Capital into It's
clutches. and on the strength OF The
Stars representations concerning the
underground trolley in Budapest IT.
in effect, compelled the use of that
system in Washington, with the re-
suit that IL Is now in successful
operation throughout practically the
entire urban area.
Our street railways have developed
from projecting, wheel-wrenching T.
rails to grooved rails: from horses to
underground electric motive power of
the Budapest tpye with improve
ments, without passing through the
intermediate stage OF use of the ugly
and dangerous overhead trolley in the
UT ban section; from division into
many weak and impoverished lines
to consolidation into two great sys-
TENS: from go-as-you- please manage
ment of tramways by Congress with
unlimited free franchises for the ask
ing to appreciation by both public
and railroad that these franchises
represent substantial grants by the
public of valuable privileges for
which consideration must be rendered
to the public either directly or indi-
'rectly in cheaper fares and improved
service from almost unchecked con-
troll by private interests of these i'm
portant semi-public functions to strin-
gent wholesome regulation by the
people, first through the national In
terstate Commerce Commission and
now through an independent local
utilities commission with large
powers, which, If necessary in the
public interest, may be still further
enlarged.
Ont of the evils of today should
spring in the public interest and In
promotion of the community welfare
such n merger of the two great local
systems. and such strenEthe ming of
the powers of the public to super
wise and regulate the railways
through the Public Utilities Commits
sion Will protect the equities and
promote the welfare of everybody in
interest, railway users, railway work.
ers, railway owners.