Evening star., 1926-05-01

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started on trip to Maine. Mr.. Blan
ton declared that in those two weeks
Mr.. Fenning had done so much as
Commissioner that "the people were
ready to mob him.
Praises SyIvester's Work.
Mr.. Blanton asked who is head OF
the Police Department, and was told
f. B. Hesse. He also received con
firmatiop that Mr.. Hesse was ap
pointed by Mr.. Fenning with the ap
proval Of the Board Of Commissioners
When Mr.. Blanton brought out tha,
MIR. Hesse was never a policeman
only a clerk" Mr.. Rudolph replied
that he was not n policeman in the
sense that he had never been press
ing bricks. Mr.. Rudolph SAID tha,
Mr.. Hesse comes to the job in ex
actfy the same way that Richard Syl
vester did. and paid tribune to Mr.
sylvester as one of the best chiefs O.
police the District ever had
Mr.. Blanton said that he had reat
in the papers about some foreign
government inviting the head of tn,
Police Department to take a trip tc
Europe and said II see that Mr.. Fen
nlng is thinking of going"
Says Trip Is Proper.
Mr.. Rudolph commented that tina,
would be perfectly proper. Mr.. Blan
ton pointed out that the last time
Fennlng took trip across the water
ne took a shell-shocked veteran tc
Denmark and received S1,577 in ex
penses and $500 as fee" He want
ed to know, "If he makes this tril
now, who is going to pay?"
Mr. Rudolph replied, He probably
VIII draw 1T out of the bank. He will
never get 1t from the District Govern
ment, for we have no funds for such
purpose. Mr.. Blanton said that
was the sort of reply he had hoped tc
get.
Mr. Gilbert then questioned Mr.
Rudolph regarding the TRANSFORMATION
situation and the fact that schoo
children are charged an Scent fare
lie said he knew of no other CITY ir
the United States where an Scent car
rare Is charged to children. He want
cd TO Know what study Of that i'm
portant subject Mr.. Rudolph hat
made since he had been District Com
missioner. Mr.. Rudolph answered
that the Commissioners as members
af the Public Utilities Commission
have read reports on earnings OF
companies and fixed the rates the
companies were allowed to charge ir
order that they might receive a fail
return.
In referring to the Public Utilitie,
COMMISSION. Mr.. Rudolph said mem
bers or this commission are the Same
unfortunately" as the District Com
mlSSlOnorC Ja caiI hDt
fair profit" received by the stree,
railway companies is about 5 per CEN
Tor the Capital Traction Co. and les.
than 4 per cent for the Washington
Railway and Electric Co.
Point Is Contradicted.
This was disputed by members OF
the committee who contended that the
capital Traction Co. is receiving =
much higher return. Mr.. Gilbert said
Il had been hoping that you as 5
member of the Public Utilities Com
mission and a business man might
help TO solve this intricate problem.
Mr.. Rudolph said that the street caI
problem was not intricate. but lust q
plain business proposition. Mr.. Gil
bert asked if the witness ever hac
made any recommendation for clean
ing 1t up as a business proDoSition
Mr.. Rudolph said this matter was be
ing handled by Engineer Commits
sioner Bell and his assistant. Mai
w. +. II. Covell. Mr.. Gilbert asked
If the real situation is not that one
company is making big profits, but
that the fare cannot be reduced be
cause such action would drive the
other company out of business. Mr.
Rudolph said that per cent is not a
fair return, much less a big profit.
Mr.. Blanton then urged the trans
portation question with the witness
saying that it is conceded that the
charters of the street railway com
panies provide that they shall MOI
charge more than scent fare. which
they did all during the war, and thai
the high courts hold that the street
railways are enjoying very valuable
rights which the people gave them un
der this contract.
He then discussed how the Wash
ington Railway and Electric sought ar
increase. which the Capital Traction
Co. did not need or want, but that the
District Commissioners, as Public
Utilities Commissioners, raised the
fare
Cites Stock Price Rise.
He then quoted the advance in price
on w. r. & T.. stock from 3SA to 250
as supplied to him by Maj. Covell, call
ing it the most unprecedented rise ir
the history of the market" He asked
Commissioner Rudolph: did it eve,
occur to you that it was not right tha,
$4,000 poor little children are forced
to pay an Scent fare?" Mr.. Rudolph
answered that the question of capital
ization is not taken into considera
ton on any public utilities in fixing
the rates.
When Mr.. Blanton suggested thai
the companies be forced back to 5
cent fare, Mr.. Rudolph said that such
a suggestion could not be entertained
because it would drive them out OF
business. Mr.. Blanton declared thai
there would be plenty of other com
panies anxious to get in here tomor
row.
Mr.. Gilbert argued that the big
rise on stock quotations is because
that street railway company is max
ing "unconscionable profits" Mr.
Rudolph said he could not agree.
Mr.. Bowman questioned Mr.. Ru-
dolph regarding the effects of the
proposed merger on the fares. MIR
Rudolph thought some economies
might be effected, but he doubted II
the fare could be reduced. In reply
to a question, he said that if the
companies reach basis for merger
it will be necessary for them TO come
before the Public Utilities Commits
sion, but that Congress will have to
approve 1t.
Denies Merger Proposal.
When asked If he had received any
proposals looking toward the merger
he said, mo" Questioned further
however, he stated that there was ar
informal conference some time ago
but that only one side Of the street
railway question was represented. He
said he believed companies should
get together. Questioned as to what
moves the Public Utilities Com1nis
sion can make to induce a merger
he answered that it is on. record as