The Washington times., 1924-03-08
The House Refusal Of Special
Counsel in Utilities Cases
By BILL PRICE.

lie Utilities Commission of Washington and understand
thoroughly the public utilities situation in this CITY, all joined
In recommending and submitting to the House Appropriations
Committee supplemental estimate providing for the employ
ment of special counsel by the u c. to aid the regular
counsel in highly important public utility pending in the
courts of the District.
These importance every street rider
gas electric light telephone in the District Of Colu
ba They involve millions of dollars in valuations and the
tempt fot the public alleged capital expenditures that
have time and again been declared to be pure water
They involve the whole question of future fares and
charges for service by public service corporations They
volve trust fund Of than $50OO000 growing greater
every MONTH which the Public Utilities Commission has
serted belongs to the people of Washington being overcharges
for electric light furnished by the Potomac Electric Light
Company.
Throughout the years when the Public Utilities Commission
working ascertain fair valuations of local utilities and
to squeeze out millions of dollars water of
commission became exceedingly familiar with every detail Of
the cases. He remained counsel for the commission until
the valuations completed and fares and rates fixed
accordance with what the commission considered fair valua
tons He then resigned to take up private practice.
But all these valuation findings appealed the courts
Also went the appeal of the Electric Light Company
against reduction in charges for electric lighting In this
particular appeal there impounded of
money collected for electric lighting which there every
reason to believe rghuy belongs Washington users of
electricity.
The corporation of the District who handles all the
legal problems connected with the municipality Washington
Is likewise the counsel for the Public Utilities Commission
For his services u G. counsel he paid just 81
year ONE HUNDRED TIMES LESS than the utilities cor
poratons pay their expert attorneys.
This F. u c. counsel cannot and does not give his whole
time to the legal phases of utilities matters The bulk of his
time is taken up corporation counsel The present
poration counsel FRANK STEPHENS an able consce-
tous lawyer Mr. Stephens did not however participate in
the valuation hearings extending over three or four years.
and cannot possibly be familiar with the details his
predecessor.
The former counsel is CONRAD sYME who was employed
by the u G. to act special counsel aid Mr. Stephens
because he knew about these matters than any other
man MIR. syme only recently concluded argument in the
District Supreme Court the Potomac Electric Light val
uaon case which may much of that 100000 for the
Washington public.
Mr.. Syme be it understood, has, since June last been
employed by the PUBLIC Of Washington paid with funds
raised by The Washington Herald and Washington Times
The money from virtually every civic organization in
Washington.
The p U. c. wanted his next fiscal year
and desired to pay him part Of the fee entitled fol-
this fiscal Accordingly Congress is asked appropriate
the money for his salary House having refused last
session. to accede to his employment
Despite most glazing situation in which the public of th
city only meagery represented in these great cases.
which the corporations spenddy represented by the best
legal talent to be had the Appropriations Committee
refuses to approve the items
Congressman LOUIS c. CRAMToN seems to have led tn.
opposition to the employment of special counsel He hints
that Mr. Syme not the right for the job IF he feeh
that way, but is FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE OF WASH
NGTON why doesn't he agree to the employment of some
other special counsel that there question
OF proper protection for the public?
MIR. Cramton halls from Michigan, a State where tn,
Vaccinations Of public utilities and other corporations
well known. It is the State from which Senator C0UZENs
comes Mr. Couzens could tell Mr. Cramton something Mr.
Cramton really wishes to learn to methods used by
poratlons to defeat the aims Of the general public
We do not believe for minute that the people of
Cramtons Congressional district parties to lik
this and were represented by single attorney paid $0
year. while the corporations ably represented by tn
best attorneys to be had Mr. Cramon would dare to den
his people the right Of having every legal protection Hi
constituents wouldn't stand for it, and he knows it.
Those Mchiganders in Mr. Cramtons district would as
him some mighty pertinent questions to say the least and the
might stir up storm that he would forget Justc
In Michigan should be justice in Washington.
Mr. Cramton makes attempt deny the local corpora
lions all the lawyers they want paid for out of money pa
In by the people of Washington In other words the peop