The Washington times., 1928-06-06
What Has Been r. E. P. 60. s
Part ii Power Trust
Propaganda?
rOpa & nd !

yAT has been the part 81 the P0tOmsC Electric Power
w Company 81 washington in ths national ard regional
propaganda activities of the power trust sensational dis
cosusa q Is which being daily brought ~ light by ths
hs commission 1. covering TIE country ~ States nyes
g1stng tie propaganda methods Of the power utilities ~
81 tie inquiry VIII NOS bs complete Of courses until the Dis
sssct ol oOlumhiG Is included.
The States tie power utilities naye nag V cOps nv 80
city ana town councils and often county authores ra0i-
aion " III formidable opposition % power utilities hss been
experts including lecturers professors school
Money has been spent freely With colegs professors school
authorities sn Il getting favorable articles into newspapers
4 tbe District IF Columbia our own 81 + Co IA not
bssn IS badly haxassed 81 public sentiment hostile Con
es II Has Jared 81 well with the Public Utilities Commits
on sht 4 4 probably tas sg I: money maker proper
Our IDEAL company to extent being right il the
National Capital t6e favore ward o the huge national
power trusb which has canered Us lobbyist squads upon
keeping Congress out Of power development
Long before the startling countrywide activities cf the
power ru. became freely nown i. .gsnts ana oOsy. t
FEDERAL hydroeeCric development Great Falls Tor this
tie 2. % va undcubtsdly pleased I'D would haye
been uneratefu did not contribute II the community
chest II tie lobbying and prCpagands department of The r.
fiOnal combine
Being In highly advantageous position ana spendidy
treated 81 the Public Utilities Commission Of the District
the p CO. may not have had to resort % some Of the
methods used 81 power companies elsewhere but II will
nevertheless Be interesting IL Washington people 70 find out
what has been itB policies and its line Of work here.
may be delayed for time, but the Federal
Trade Commission viii develop these facts IT the proper
tims.
There has been evidence indicating teup Of telephone
md ras interests with the power trust and here in the Dis
Ct e might Be well for the Trade Commission to obtain In
formation 81 TO what the tieup might be with street
railway systems, which seeking to and which have
every possible influence To the approval By Con
kre 81 the merger legislation submitted 70 that body
ono O the largest owners and holders Of stocks d power
utilities the United States the North American Company
of New York This company controlling interest In
she stocks Of the Washington Railway and Electric Company
this city This railway company and controls the
Potomac Electric Power Company.
The Potomac Electric Power Company important
tract Of land al Great Falls ownership which may
day block the way hydroelectrc development there
thus clear that the interests Of Of the street rail
way systems be brought into merger il closely inter-
with the interests Of the Potomac Electric Power Com
pany which will virtually become the property Of the North
American Company there is street railway merger
The local uaton ought to prove an interesting field for
the Federal Trade Commission.
The Senate wisely deferred action merger until it
can make investigations Of It's It's special commit
be appointed by Senator Capper ought to get
valuable indirect not direct assistance from the Trade
Commission when the District angle Of the power trusts
numerous propaganda methods are gone into.