Evening star., 1928-09-10
Capital Traction Will Refuse
Increase Otherwise, Pres
ident Ayers.
PROCEDURE WOULD BE
UNJUST, IS HIS CLAIM
But Commission Is Told That
Prompt Relief Is Vital to
Car Service.

Involved in the unusual situation 0!
being alone in making an application
for higher fare, President John H
Hanna of the Capital Traction Co. to-
day served notice on the Public Utilities
Commission that his directors would not
accept an increased fare unless it is
extended also to the Washington Rail-
way & Electric Co.
In issuing the order for today's hear
ing the Utilities Commission had upset
recent precedent by failing to make the
rival company in Washington's dual
street car system party to the appli-
cation.
Mr. Hanna'S ultimatum undoubtedly
put SQuarely before the commission and
the Washington Railway g. Electric Co.
the question of deciding whether the
railway companies would continue their
fight for higher fare pending the out
come of the merger proceedings in
Congress.
Seen as Unjust.
eff you give an increase in fare to
uS dllu OO give IL W UllC w
ton Railway & Electric Co., would
Such a procedure, he pointed out,
would be unjust and discriminatory.
His statement was particularly peril
nent in view of the fact that Chairman
John w. ChildreSs of the commission
had given no explanation for the fail
ure of the commission to make the
Washington Railway and Electric Co. a
party to the application, policy which
the previous commission had carried out
since the war
Needed for Dividend.
The Capitol Traction Co., today based
the fares on the right and necessity
of maintaining the payment of a
seven per cent dividend on it's stock
While presenting counter proposal
for straight 8-cent cash fare, Mr..
Hanna told the commission that the
alternative Of a 10-cent cash fare and
four tokens for 80 cents would best
serve the interests of the company and
the public.
Nothing was said at the outset of the
hearing about the failure of the Public
Utilities Commission to make the
Washington Railway & Electric Co. a
PdA W OAAC dPpAACdt1OA4 AO1 IllSllCl
fare. Ralph B. Fleharty, peoples
counsel, was equally as silent as Chair
man John w. Childress of the commits
sion on this question Nor did MIR.
Fleharty make any effort, at this time
at least, to explain his position in op-
position to the granting of a higher
fare to one company pending the out
come of the merger proceedings in Con-
gress and in the absence of a revalua-
ton by the commission.
Others Present at Hearing.
William H. Ham, president of the
Washington Railway & Electric Co.,
who is expected later to outline the
position of his directors, was present
during the hearings.
Brice Claggett, representing Harley P
Wilson, prime factor in the merger
agreement, and John j. Noonan, inter-
eSted minority stockholder in the W. F..
& E. Co. system, who previously hal
applied for an injunction to halt the
merger, also attended the hearing.
The Federation of Citizens Associa-
tions, directly interested in any fare
increase, was represented by William
Mex. Clayton.
Mr.. Hanna, who presented the claims
Of Capital Traction, declares that 10
cent cash fare would mean an increase
of cents over the prevailing cash rates
and four tokens for 80 cents would re-
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