Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-15
TRACTION MERGER
PLANS PRESENTED
Agreement Places Valuation
, at s25.400. 900 for New
= Transit Company.
CONTINUED from Third pagen

CONTINUED from Third PageN
transit service frs; class in all respects
enS eoual in quality and price WIN
the hest elsewhere IS equally untrue
THE distinction between the TWO state
nr,1;s is that notwithstanding the hisii
character Of the individual uni'S. uls
,,,-er lack Of co-ordinatfon os."te'i
them 0eprivcS the city ot oeneI.s a.,
f,erert IN the system OF tranSpoT'a'loh
as a whole and which can 10" on'S
Through such COORDINATION.
No CITY can enjoy the highest pos
x.n,e character OF transit service WIN
number OF totally separate ana oiS-
.;,rt ,,rus ATTEMPTING 10 perform II.
sch a ritv max have facilities 81 trans
r1rtstior to burn. but unless S0cn ZACH
lilies are universal III ineT use uoNt-
tailed together for the single purpSSt
e transporting the citizen Wherever ~.
wants 10 50 IN the ouicAtS. Hs'u 49,. ..
direct way. obvious confusion results
los, motion is clearly III eN!dence' tf1e
emo,encv Of such facilities Is CORE
snorSirc1v lowered and the costs OF the
service corcespono!nelN increased.
Public Rights Paramount.
"-hass are the fundamental principles
r.o-, yrbjrf, are based the more imam
81 wears Of demand for merger IN WASH
inston. That such demand is SOUND IN
economic principle must De aannt.eo'
BIZ the methods employed 10 acconlpiiSii
xo hiel,iy desirable a result have eeen
- ~er,Ie;e with error that failure was
Inevitable, That the rights OF the COM
rnu,1itv serted By any public utility are
nsrar,o,,,1. 10 those Of the utility ItSel
Is no longer questioned anywhere. oul
the application of such rights. unless
hsse6 uDo. principles Of fairness and
equity and upon orderly processes IL
bound 30 nullify their own usefulness.
Unul utility owners and puoiic allks
recognize a mutually OF interest aiiu
st~i,e l7y co-ordinated effort toward the
common END Of the greatest good 10 the
greatest number. chickering's ana mlsuh-
Restraining will continue, TO the useless
cost Of both.
Careful study of the history Of mer-
Ger efforts here GiScloSes the TACT tnat
in almost every instance the blame Tor
failure rests equally upon the shoulders
Of the owners OF the transit properties
and the public. The owners nave stead
tasty stood upon their legal rights as
INTERPRETED by governing bodies ano me
courts while certain oyerzealous and
inexperienced citizens have exhibited
tendency 10 disregard established bust
ness formulas and practices and TO ao-
vocste PRINCIPLES totally al variance
with statutes made and provided FOR Just
such cases, Too often has the wish been
father 70 the thought III the formula
ton Of weird and fantastic schemes.
having for their purpose the establish
rent 0. a panacea for all ills, real ano
imaginary.
Trges Mutual Understanding.
After all. IL has been found on care
ful ANALYSIS that differences existing be-
tween public utility operators AND the
puniic they serve are largely state OF
mind, rather than something OF sub
stance. impossible OF reconciliation. Too
often is there a mistaken idea as to the
relative importance OF divergent views
seeking q common end Human nature
is complex problem and the man long
accustomed 10 doing q particular thing
r. particular way experiences grad
ia. narrowing Of vision when other
WAYS o. doing the same thing are sug-
rested 20 him. An element of tradition
and prejudice invariably enters into
matters OF this sort. and II Is only by the
exercise OF a maximum Of patience and
suasion that elimination OF that ele-
rnert can be accomplished. and il Is only
Or such accomplishment that the decks
car be cleared for calm and dispassion-
ate consideration of the more important
feature Of bringing into closer harmony
81 expressed opinions and narrowing
the points 81 divergence Q! views.
In view Of the past correspondence
ard discussions which have had With
tne commission on the subject o. the
merger. think should make clear my
own attitude regarding the present
agreement
Early Steps Recalled.
The prolonged negotiations between
the committees representing the 5irec-
tors O. the TWO street railway COM
paries ard myself which have resulted
1, ire ur.hcation agreement we're in
sugI-stec as result OF the letter which
you sent On November 9. 1927. TO PTesi-
der; Hanna 81 the Capital Traction Co,
- President Ham Of the Washington
RAILWAY d, Electric CO. and 20 myself
II which you SAID that this comm 'ssior
Is strongly Of the opinion that merger
o. tne transit systems Is highly desirable
s1d VIII be glad 10 aid In the consun-
NATION 0. such merger You then
aided ina, We strongly urge upon you
U confer with representatives. OF the
Capital Traction Go. and the Washing
ton Railway t. Electric CO. 70 arrive
g. plan which VII! De acceptable 10 q
Prop: proportion o. the stockholdeYs
q ~! ,fsree companies and submit such
pan ~ Fn1s commission for It's ap.
p'pYs.'
sAll concerned Will doubtless find
gyat.fcatioT IN 1sls' tfis series 0! con-
!e.e1ces. !r2ugurath6 e. ne instance
o. the E'Joilc Utilities Connis&ions have
resulted n Success
Protection for Capital.
ON CctpoeT 81. 1927, wrote 10 YOU
g. c'-alF.faa. u ne commission. refer
Tlr-g ~ ne months ! rad spent in study
q ne Washington transit situation. In
thal letter / submitted II; genera! out
AGe plan to9 ttle unifcat ion II the
t'ftst railways anc stated That my prs-
x1SFY i1yFr,af %as 70 promote the pub
IL .1r'es' arc N assure " ne p.ial
o. ire ha1tD. I!arsp0YtatiGfa system
!4Dy Soec1ss ~ SeYSe It's present ard
sJtIfe nrf1s E., ne SAM tlrac
gs9;!.1ec 81 tiae necessity u giving l;is,
Ysrr23.,flcn W 1ne railways. rea lzluf
tta' S4cr ,spl'zi IL entitled ~ f,4ll pro-
bc'to,l gnce' 'tflpsh principles ~ eqg!es
fnc 11st.cs glsFsneed " al by the
Corstj'Jt!or ~ the Cr!see Etsns
n rave save " the commission
Zmnnz
HI IL is NOT neCess0ry
TO have had an Ac-
count at this Bank 10
EDrYOn.