Evening star., 1925-02-04

justed in a conference and that con-
siderable time would be saved by the
entire committee getting in accord
behind one measure. For this pur-
pose a special meeting tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock will be called
Representatives Gibson and Gasque
of South Carolina spoke emphatically
on the need for earliest possible ac-
tion on the school building program
to relieve the more pressing and i'm
mediate needs and Representative
school building program is even more
important than the proposed new
traffic code.
School Program Urged.
Representative Gasque, saying that
he had children of his own in the
schools and that he himself had been
supervisory of schools in his own
State before coming to Congress said
IF there is anything for which Con-
gress can be criticised in its treat
ment of the National Capital, it is
in this matter of providing school
housing. ! know that this housing sit
uation is horrible and a disgrace to
the people of the United States, that
Congress has allowed such situation
to continue. The superintendent of
schools has been severely criticized
because many pupils are under in
struction for only halliday. This is
due to lack of housing. 1t is of the ut
most Importance that we report this
bill out and l consider it the most i'm
portant of any measure that this COM
mittee can press"
The program proposed in this bill
would be just about one-half of what
ought to be done. Even with the
SIS, 900 of construction proposed,
it will not be possible to take care
of all the children"
On motion. of Representative Zihl-
man the school building program was
made special order Of business at the
meeting tomorrow following con-
sideration of the traffic bills.
Protests Salary Scale.
When Representative Zihlman
brought up for consideration the
Reed bill, which proposes to enlarge
the Public Utilities Commission, he
protested vigorously that attorneys
are being paid between $4,000 and
$4,000 by the public or other utilities,
who are acting as lobbyists against the
peoples interest
He spoke at some length in sup
port of the proposed legislation as
one way to correct this abuse and
read into the record a letter from
Lieut. Col. ]. Franklin Bell, Engineer
Commissioner of the District, who
said:
1--WE have just completed a COM
pilation of the legal expenses of all
public utilities in the District of Co
lumbia for the year 1924. We find
that the total is between $S0,0S0
and $4,000. You will appreciate the
fact that the users of these utilities
must pay for these expenditures and
that d considerable percentage of
this amount is chargeable to the
presentation of utilities matters be-
fore the Public Utilities Commission
and before the court in rate cases.
Considered i'm Rate Fixing.
'I deem that it is within the prov
ince of the Public Utilities Commits
sion to take cognizance of these
salaries and give consideration to eX-
cessive amounts paid when fixing
rates. Recently we did, by persua
sion, secure a reduction in admins
trative overhead, although we have
no right at law, I understand. to
issue an order fixing rates or salary.
Your attention is called to this be-
cause it does not seem fair to ex
amount to be used to fight the public
before the Public Utilities Commis-
sion and in the courts where only
a meager 81, 200 is permitted the COM
mission for legal service to combat
these companies.
Il believe that If this fact is
brought to the attention of the mem
bers of the District committee they
will be more inclined to press the