The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-03-24
Special Counsel for the Public
Utilities Commission
BY BILL PRICE.

BY BILL PRICE.
The first deficiency passed by the contains an
item of $4,000 for employment Of special counsel by the Public
Utilities Commission to aid the regular counsel of that body
exceedingly important local utility valuation and rate
cases pending in the District courts.
No large city the United States has had legal cases
of greater consequence their people than those in the
District of the utmost Importance that the lone
counsel of the Public Utilities Commission shall all posi-
BILE assistance proper presentation and handling Of these
caseassstance from thoroughly familiar with
every phase involved in them.
For unaccountable reason which the public of this
city would like much know the inside Of the leaders of the
House Appropriations Committee have opposed the employ
men of special counsel and have succeeded in killing every
effort for appropriation for that purpose.
Yet these House financers should know
that the public utility corporations of Washington ably
and generously represented by the highest class attorneys
to be found in this city, whose salaries for this work
hundred times greater than paid the single counsel for
the P. U. G. and the public of the District
is queer suation-one that calls for expanaon-as to
WHY the House Appropriations leaders oppose the public
being properly represented by counsel in involving
much to Washington as these do.
Members of the House committee personally
formed that there is stake these cases over
$5000000 of impounded money which the p u c. asserts
belongs the of electricity in Washngon$5
in banks which should GO BACK TO CITIZENS OF
WASHINGTON. This money, it is held has been illegally
collected from electric light users
That not the only big question stake The other
all involve questions of valuations of public utilities which, if
not settled fairly to the public will higher
fares higher electric light and gas rates. higher telephone
rates.
Under the public utilities law of the District local utilities
to be allowed reasonable returns upon proper valuations
Of their properties The the
atoms found by the Public Utilities Commission To these
carefully adjudged valuations the corporations to add
many millions of dollars of value much of which purely
fictitious and should not be allowed these fictitious claims
added to valuations the people of Washington pay
reasonable returns on the additions.
Able and highly paid counsel perfect flock them rep
resent the local corporations which seek to have these vaua
lions increased On behalf of the helpless public of Wash
ngon there just legal representative whose annual
salary ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS Until the House last
year refused to allow special counsel the P u had employed
the former regular counsel of the Commission aid pres
ent counsel The former counsel knows every detail of
having conducted the hearings which resulted in fixing
certain big local interests and they him retained
in the cases.
To the Senate coerees who will the House conerees
the bill containing this item wish say that President
COOLIDGE and Director LORD of the Budget Bureau ap
proved this special counsel item The District Commissioners
have urged before the House Committee Appropriations
There isn't single good why should through
We trust that the Senate conferees will stand pat against
nsldlous House efforts to have this item stricken in
conference Every citizen of Washington asks for and seeks
the protection this item will give
Last year the Senate voted appropriation for special
counsel That in the District appropriations bill
same House influences that oppose the item this year
to have eliminated in conference added an inhibition
against the use of District for special counsel
we are inclined to think the Senate will be easy
this and will want to know WHY the is opposed
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