Evening star., 1924-03-23
LARGER UTILITIES
BOARD |NDORSED
Rudolph and Oyster Think
Bell Plan of Extra Members
Happy Solution.


the proposal of Engineer Commis-
sioner Bell that the Public Utilities
Commission be enlarged TO render it
more efficient and at the same time
tighten the burden of work now
placed upon the city heads.
After talking over his plan with
Senator Ball, chairman Of the SEN
ate District committee, yesterday
morning, Maj. Beh lost no time in
drafting an amendment to the utili-
ties law to bring about the proposed
reorganization.
Before the District building closed
yesterday evening Daniel Z. Garges,
secretary to the Comm ssioners, had
the measure in shape for presentation
To the budget bureau, which must
pass upon IL before it is introduced
In Congress.
Ball Backs Bill
Senator Ball. chairman of the Dis
trlct commit "a, VIII introduce the
pill He said yesterday that he be-
passed. pointing out that the Dis
trlct Commissioners, who now COM
pose the Public Utilities Commission, n,
have more than enough to occupy
thSitt III 40 tnI aOTN1n'S-
tration of the government OF the
District. He said that the :.fairs of
the public utilities of Washington
are very important End that men
should be members Of the commission
who could give their entire time TO
these matters.
The amendment retains the three
District Commissioners as members
of the utilities board and provides
that the President of the United
ha t~t ,,I
commissioners who would devote all
OF tAeir time to utility regulation.
Ono to Be Lawyer.
One. of the new men wou.a be n
lawyer chosen within the District of
Columbia and confirmed by the SEN
ate for term of four years. He
would draw the same salary paid
a. District Commissioner.
The second new member OF the
utilities board would be chosen from
the engineer corps of the Army, be
above the rank of captain and serve
for four years, taking full charge Of
all engineering and other technical
phases OF utility regulation.
Commissioner Rudolph said he has
always felt that the Public Utilities
Commission should be separate and
distinct from the board of District
Commissioners because of the great
volume Of work involved. He said,
however, that it might be contended
that utility regulation would not keep
a separate commission busy all the
time
Fnvors Solution.
Maj. Bells plan TO enlarge the
existing commission and let the two
new members give all of their at
tention to utility matters is a prac-
tical and sensible solution of the
problem" Mr.. Rudolph stated.
Commissioner oyster expressed SUBJ
stantially the same opinion. He said:
'I have for many years advocated
separate public utilities commits
sion. but l believe now that Maj.
Bells suggestion is a better one than
board. The District Commissioners
would retain the responsibility they
now carry, but they would have two
associates to go as deeply as neces-
sary into utility questions"
AT the present time the Commits
sioners fill a three fold position-they
are District Commissioners. public
utility commissioners and coming
commissioners. They feel that the
proposed enlargement of the utilities
board would give them time TO devote
proper attention to ali three of these
functions,
Text of Amendment.
The text of the amendment they
want made TO the utilities law was
made public last night, and follows
par. 81. That all the powers Gre
ated by this section and the duty of
carrying this section into effect and
enforcing the provisions thereof are
hereby vested in a Public Utilities
Commission of the District of Colum-
bia to be composed of a citizen of the
District of Columbia learned in the
law, who shall be appointed by the
President of the United States, by
and with the advice and consent of
t,n rh -tnT hA 1t,a Tr-x,,p <xf
said commission; the Commissioners
of the District of Columbia, and an
officer OF the Corps of Engineers Of
the United States Army, whose lineal
rank shall be above that of captain:
The Commissioners of the District OF
Columbia shall be members of said
Public Utilities Commission by virtue
of their Office, and shall exercise the
duties of Public Utilities Commission
ers as additional and superadded
powers to their powers and duties as
Commissioners of the District of Co
lumbia. The member of the commits
sion to be appointed by the Presi-
dent and conufirmed by the Senate,
and the officer Of the Corps of En-
gineers who shall be detailed by the
President of the United States as a
member Of said commission. shall
hold said Office for the term OF four
years.
1.-THE Commissioners of tho District
of Columbia shall not receive any
additional compensation for their
added duties as members of said Pub
lie Utilities Commission. The chair
man of said commission shall receive
a compensation equivalent to that of
a Commissioner of the District Of
Columbia The officer of the Corps
of Engineers detailed as a member
OF said commission shall be paid such
amount In addition to his Army pay
and allowances as is necessary to
make his salary equivalent to that of
a Commissioner of tho District Of
Columbia. The powers. authority and
duties heretofore imposed upon and
granted he Commissioners of the
District of Columbia as members Of
the Public Utilities Commission shall
De permanent and are hereby imposed
on and granted to the present Com
missioners Of the District Of Columbia
and their successors in Office.
The chairman Of said commission
shall, in addition to his duties as
said commission in any action pending
before said commission or before any
or the courts in which, under the pro-
visions of said section, the commits
sion is authorized to be represented
by counsel, and shall be assisted in
said commission now authorized by
law. A majority of said commission
erS shall constitute quorum TO do
business, and any vacancy shall not
impair the right of the emaining
commissioners to exercise all the
powers of the commission. Any in
vestigation, inquiry or hearing within
the powers OF the commission may be
made or held by any commissioners,
whose acts and orders, when approx
ed by the commission, shall be deemed
to be the order of the commission. The
commission shall have power to adopt
and publish rules to govern it's pro-
ceedings and to regulate the mode
and manner of all Investigations and
hearings pertaining to public utili-
ties"
The amendment re-enacts the pro-
vision of existing law providing that
no member of the commission shall