Evening star., 1924-03-22
MAJOR BELL URGES
/. Z MORE MEMBERS
ON UTILITIES BODY
Suggests Naming of Lawyer
and Engineer to Devote Full
Time to Issues.
C0NFERS WITH BALL;
WILL PUT PLAN IN BILL
Commissioners Believe Problems
Require More Attention Than
Present Group Can Give.

plan for the reorganization %
the Public Utilities Commission with
view to increasing it's efficiency is
being worked out by Engineer Com
missioner J. Franklin Bell, il became
known today.
Maj. Bells program would call fol
the appointment of two additional
members OF the commission, who
would devote all of their time TO
utility problems.
Both new men would be appointed
by the President as the District Com
missioners are now selected, and
serve for four years.
It is the opinion OF the Engineer
Commissioner that one of these new
men should be a lawyer who would
be chairman OF the Utilities Commis-
sion and direct the conduc. Of all
hearings and Investigations institUt-
ed.
The other new man, Maj. Bell be-
lieves, should be a qualified engineer
whose duty it would be to keep in
close touch with the operating con
ditions of the various corporations.
confers With Ball
The engineer commissioner had an
informal conference this morning
with Senator Ball. chairman of the
District committee, At which he out
lined his proposed plan for putting
the utilities board on a more thorough
going basis.
Following his talk with Senator
Ball, Maj. Bell said he would put the
scheme into the shape Of a bill and.
if approved by the full board of com
missioners, will transmit il to Con-
gress for enactment.
Since the utilities law was enacted
decade ago the three District Com
lnissioners have filled the dual role
of q public utilities commission. Cn-
der existing conditions, the engineer
commissioner serves as chairman and
director of the Utilities Commission.
Requires Much Time
In the short period OF time he has
been chairman of. the commission,
Maj. Ben has found. he indicated today.
that the prohfeEa Of cxi,ity Regulation
is such complicated and far-reach-
ing one that It is dificult for the
three District Commissioners to keep
up with that work and with their
numerous other duties as city fathers
ana zonlnS commissioners.
On the other hand, the major feels
that the regulation of utilities is SO
closely related to the duties OF the
District Commissioners that the lat
ter officials should be on the utilities
commission.
Following this line of thought, he
has outlined a plan under which there
would be five public utility commits
sioners, two of whom would dig into
the legal and technical phases of the
work and have the judgment and aid
of the three city Commissioners in
deciding matters
Depreciation IssHe Cited.
The responsibility placed upon
them as Public Utility Commission
members has been brought forcefully
to the attention of the city heads
within the past few weeks in the
matter of fixing rules of depreciation
for the several companies.
Depreciation OF the property OF the
corporations is one of the most tech
nical and involved phases of regu-
latlon, and is one that has been be-
fore the commission for a long time
For nearly two years it was delayed
by dispute as to whether the Inter
state Commerce Commission had any
jurisdiction over the local COMPANIES.
When that commission decided a
few months ago that it had no such
Jurisdiction over depreciation, MAJ.
Bell and his colleagues tackled the
task of drafting rules to be followed
by the companies in their depreciS-
tion accounts.
Takes Middle Course.
Maj. Bell believes the District Com
missioners have done their best in
solving utility problems Throughout
the past ten years, but he indicated
today that a larger commission, as
outlined, would function to better ad-
vantage for all concerned.
From time to time in the past citi-
zens' organizations have advocated a
utilities commission separate from the
board of Commissioners, on the the
ory that there was too much work on
the two boards for one set Of men to
handle.
Maj. Bells plan presents a middl,
course between the present system
and the proposal to create another in
dependent commission.
WORLD FLYERS PLAN