The Washington times., 1928-12-15
Don't Try to Gas Washington
People In the Gas Cases
Public Utilities Commission Must Bring Out All the
LIGHT Possible on Valuation Of Properties

his report Senate District Committee the street
railway merger agreement before Congress Dr. Maltbe
public utilities expert pointed out clearly that street railway
valuations here established by the courts millions Of
dollars higher they should be because the valuation
cases in handled with such marked weak
ness public side that court judges could DO little
else but give these valuations
That statement practically ndspuable At the time the
street railways especially the Capital Traction Company ap
pealed the from the valuations fixed by the then
Public Utilities Commission there Peoples Attorney TO
properly represent the public in these appeals The
was SO limited funds that unable to employ experts
and engineers standing combat the experts Of the other
side The railways represented by an imposing
array Of distinguished attorneys and corporation specialists
Ii the records submitted to the local courts the public side
was lean and its facts to dispute valuation claims Of
the street railways attorney stood against the trained
attorneys of the corporations
Court largely based the records Of prem
nary hearings When records wholly onesded with
the public utilities bringing out everything favorable to their
cause and the public side furnishing little light decisions
favorable to utilities almost inevitable.
More particularly Is that true when the hearings
the subject again bring everything Of value utilities
corporations and almost nothing Of vaue to the public
Judges have time the right TO develop the case
for the public side not their business to do Il
the business Of people who should sincerely represent the
public.
We are about haze repetition Of these street
r0iIO0y UaluntiOns the gas company UaIuations
before the Public Utilities Commission. We nOw
have a. peoples attorney, i true, and the legal
aide Of The public should BE fairly WeH cared for.
This attorney, hODeOer, Is not expert He knODs
copporotiUy LITTLE about the blue sky theories of
UnIuntioa claims He realize that the claims
exorbitant and shanaefuIy prodgious, but he must
Be sufficiently IDeI informed in engineering and
counting matters to Be able stO explode them.
The duty ii the Public Utilities Commission which is no
longer limited funds is to employ experts to bring out
faIlaces Of the gas companiesshow them up as com
peteIy Matbie did to street railway claims
The commission failed to employ who have done that and
the records in the gas valuation hearings all one way
except to the testimony Of Mr. Bachman.
remedy this deplorabe situation and
to have the gas hearings show intelligent opposition to faa
claims The only way do this is for the commission
put Dr. Mabie work. his services may be obtained
II then let the commission delay hearings until an
engineer and expert genuinely representing the public does
have opportunity to put in the records testimony worth while
from public standpoint.
Gas OnLu0fioa uuiH almost surely 90 to the
courts and Il Is n1nnifesty unfair that they should
60 there they stand. Members of the Public
Utilities Commission become parties to that
of thing 1t IOouId haOe a curious look.
Again, this newspaper calls upon the commission
TO employ DR.. M0Itbie a Of similar caliber
and honesty TO present facts and truths that O aid
preventing the public haUing to pay increased
charges fictitious UnIu0tiOns.