The Washington times., 1925-02-28
A Peoples Counsel for the
Utilities Commission
By BILL PRICE.

By BILL PRICE.
The House District Committee beyond all question the best
committee yet handling the affairs of the District in the
lower house Congress favorby reported bill creating
the office of peoples counsel for the Public Utilities Com
mission at salary of $500 per year.
pass this session. but with most OF the
same personnel on Committee in the next Congress-
should then be placed among those OF
need and promptly passed.
The satisfaction the people of Washington have in
this House committee that it composed Of men who appear
earnestly seeking to represent public sentiment mere
Instead of trying impose fads and theories OF their own
upon the people Washington they honestly attempt to
ascertain public opinion here and then to incorporate that
opinion into law.
We have had too many House committees made of
the municipal problems Of great city and
bent upon getting publicity favorable to themselves
their respective districts in wishing to do those things
of most benefit the people who LIVE HERE not in some
other place.
Congressman ZIHLNIAN who is to the chairman Of
the committee rank brought out the fact that public ut
ties of this city spend fully $4,000 for fees to attorneys
protect battle for their rights before the Public Utilities
Commission, the and elsewhere.
this the people Of Washington, who furnish
the money that successfully operates these utilities repre-
sented by single attorney who is paid the prncey of
$1,000 yearust eighty times less than to
the crack legal lights of the corporations This attorney
likewise Corporation Counsel of the District and has all
he can do attend strictly municipal affairs
plainly impossible that this lawyer able though he
may be- give to utilities problems the time they should
have from the standpoint Of the public.
the committee proposes pay good ST 800 year
and restrict activities public utilities matters only The
salary large To get the services of the right kind
Of the salary should be larger there should be
assistant counsel at fair salary.
unknown reason-unknown because is not pos
sbe explain in the light Of utilities conditions here-the
House Appropriations Committee has refused give the Pub
lie Utilities Commission funds pay additional counsel when
needed limited the funds for the employment of
perts shamefu small considering the money paid
countants and others.
To give the Commission the necessary expert help Engineer
Commissioner BELL chairman of the Commission had been
compelled detail least Assistant Engineer Commits
sioner to this work
Representatives LAMPERT, KELLER and other members
of the House committee absolutely right in their position
that the Public Utilities Commission should be separate and
distinct from the District Commissioners composed Of
who like the peoples counsel will devote all their time to
utilities problems which arising at frequent intervals
peoples counsel u.s. however Of Importance at this
time than the creation Of separate commission competent
attorney to aid and advise the present Commission at every
STEP after careful study and analysis will materially help
the Commission and its staff of Woodworking employees
Representative BLANToN supports the peoples counsel
bill and believes such attorney should be well paid
Representative UNDERHLL of Massachusetts goes step
further and thinks that the District government should have
counsel attending all sessions of District committees in
lens This is recognition of the principle that the people
of the District entitled to suffrage and proper representa-
ton in Congress Mr. Underhll useful and valuable
on committee