Evening star., 1926-12-11
TAL|AFERRO JOINS
IN UTILITIES BODY
Takes Oath of Office as De-
lay in Action on New
Group Is Seen.

Commissioner Sidney r. Taliaferro
was sworn in as member of the Pub
lie Utilities Commission in his Office
III the District Building this afternoon.
Mr.. Taliaferro did not take the oath
of a Public Utility Commissioner
when he was inducted into office as
member Of the Board of Commission
ers last Saturday, believing that
President Coolidge would sign at an
early date the act creating a new and
separate Public Utilities Commission
and thereby obviate the necessity of
him joining the present commission.
The Commissioner however, changed
his plans when news came from the
White House late yesterday that the
President might defer signing the
document, coupled with a possible de-
lay in the appointment of the civilian
personnel for the new commission.
If the President should sign the bill
and delay appointing the new mem
hers of the commission. it was pointed
out that the present commission
might he handicapped because it
would be ineligible to serve.
The oath of office was administered
by Frank f. Cunningham. clerk of the
District Supreme Court. The cere-
monies were informal and were at
tended by Commissioners Bell and
DouEhertv.
Disapproyes Two Provisions.
President Coolidge makes no secret
of the fact that the bill creating the
new Public Utilities Commission does
not meet with his entire approval. but
it is not thought likely that his oppo-
sition will result in a veto.
In fact, the President. while max
ing known his objection to two pro
visions in the bill. indicated that he
probably will affiX his signature after
he has heard from those advisors to
whom he has referred it for report,
one of whom is Attorney General
Sargent.
The provisions in this bill which
are known tn he especially distaste-
full to the President deal primarily
with the qualifications of those who
are to serve as members of the newly
created commission. In the first in
stance it is stipulated that the two
civilian members must be bona fde
residents of the District for period
of three years. The second objection
able feature is that no one shall be
appointed to the commission who has
been directly or Indirectly interested
in any local public utility for a period
of five years prior to appointment.
While discussing this subject at the
semi weekly conference of newspaper
correspondents yesterday the Presi-
dent made it very plain that he con-
sders these two provisions as being
most unfortunate and as tending to
divest the act of a great deal of it's
usefulness. He admitted that he had
not examined the act in its entirety,
but he will do so when he receives
the report from those who are now
examining the bill for him.
Undecided OH Appointments.
President Coolidge today was repre-
sented as having not yet given any
SERIOUS thought to the appointment of
the two civilian members of the com
mission and the peoples counsel. who
shall represent the public at a. hear
ings of the commissioners and in all
judicial proceedings involving the in
terest of the users of pubic service
products or services. 1t is thought
likely that. the President will POSTPONE
the task of making selections for
these places ~intil he has disposed of
the signing of the bill itself.
Each of these places carries with
it salary of 81 800 a year, and prom
inent among those whose names have
been placed before the President for
appointment to the commission is
Jesse G.. Suter, former president of the
Citizens Associations. Among those
who have been suggested for appoint
ment as peoples counsel is William
Mex. Clayton. Public Utilities Com.
mission expert of the Federation of
(TtizouS' AsSociat inns