Evening star., 1925-10-15

| advantages OF ro-Of0lndteN Ta =.
and motor bus service under electric
| railway management and the 'imper-
| ative need OF regula ting busses as
| common carriers We're discussed by
| Lucius s. Storrs. managing director
| Of the American Electric Railway
Association in an address prepared
! for today's session of the National
| Association of Railroad and Utilities
Commissioners.
Since 1t has been demonstrated
that the motor bus win always rem
der supplemental service and never
| supplant the street railway. Mr.
Storrs said. 1t seems logical that
| electric railways should take over
the bus work rather than the bus
the electric railway work" This is
not only in the interest of efficient
service to the public, he said, but
also viii greatly simplify the work
of regulatory commissions by reduc-
Ing the number or the thousands of
Independent bus lines now operating
throughout the country.
Favoritism Opposed.
Mr.. Storrs said an eTort would he
made at the coming session of Con
gress to obtain legislation for regula-
tion Of busses az common carriers.
declaring the motor bus and truck
operator was not entitled to preferen-
tial treatment over electric and steam
railways.
The convention turned its attention
To problems arising out of motor Ne-
hicle transportation today. receiving
reports from it's general solicitor,
John F.. Benton. on motor vehicle
legislation and from Harry G. Taylor
of Nebraska chairman of the commit
h,,u tat @ &
rilI, executive secretary Of the Federal
Power Commission. addressed the
meeting this afternoon on power de-
velopment. a topic made the subject
for special consideration for the after
noon session.
A reception will be rendered the
delegates and guests tonight by tht
Chamber Of Commerce OF the | nited
States at the home of the chamber,
II street and Connecticut avenue
Committee reports tomorrow morning
will wind ND the work OF the conVen
ton.
Hoover Addresses Body.
pIea against surrender OF local
government prerogatives to Federal
authority was made by secretary
Hoover.
Our Government" Mr.. Hoover
tain dual pnrpose-to protect our
people among nations by a great Ma
tional power and To preserve indi-
yidual freedom by ocel self-govern-
ment.
Ell we are to stretch the inter
state commerce provision In the
CONSTITUTION 10 regulate all those
things that pass State lines. we shall
automatically absorb 10 tedera
authority most of the Government
that lies within state lines, because
our economic life has become 50 en-
meshed that there is no longer tha'
easy conception of our foIefa thefS
of what constituted interstate con-
merce If we do not resist this eN
tension. what becomes of that funda-
mental freedom and independence
that can rise only from local self
government?
The Commerce Secretary addressed
himself mainly to the question OF
local and State regulation of public
electrical utilities.
Denounces PaternaIism.
II want to kick to local authority.
he said when the power rates are
unjust. / want TO kick where the
sear.hligh. of public opinion and
n
bear. Far more than this, ! want To
live In a community which governs
itself I do not believe the people
of oar communities have Yet become
so supine or SO careless OF the fun-
damental advantages of self-govern
ment that they are ready To sur
render control of their most intimate
concerns to paternal government
at Washington. however wise oi
however powerful.
We should all agree that regula-
ton of public utilities is vital BE
cause of the fabulous duplication of
equipment. of investment of increa sed
financial instability and operating ex-
pense. with increased cost OF service
to the consumer, involved In a system
of unrestricted competition. the ="
states acting independently have
aba ndoned the notion Of maintaining
the kind of competition as method
Of holding down rates and holding un
service. But when we deliberateiN
clothe industry with the security OF
monopoly. neither the industry nor the
public any longer disputes the neces-
sity of fun control or rates. profits.
service and finance by governmental
regulation.
Mergers Inevitable.
SECOND, we ca agree tIldt IeNo-
luton Is in progress in the, electrical
industry through the scientific dis
covery of long distance transmission
and the sequent economies in produc-
ton and improvements in service
to be gained by the consolidation of
generation into central plants. with
the same equipment providing the
night lights of cities and the day load
of Industries. This revolution is as
necessary as the rising, sun II we are
to have cheaper power and greater
service The result IL the creation
OF larger companies covering power
districts surrounding these central
generation plants.
AT this point / wish to emphasize
a distinction that has an Importance
In all conception of regulation. fg-
nora nee of which has been responsible
for much misapprehension. This in
terconnection simply means the sale of
surplus power from one district to an
other and does not bear any more
Implication Of trusts and 'gian
monopolies' than the interchange of
cars between different railway sys-