Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-06-13
UTILITIES PAY
TEXAS A. & N.
TOAIDSURVEY
Workers In Study of
Rural Identification
Financed Out of
Service Fund

WASHINGTON, June 13.-CP-
The Texas Agricultural and Me-
cnanical college has been paid S4,419
TINS year through the Southwestern
rublic Service association to defray
the expense of a survey of rural
eiectrlfication, IL was brought out
while G. W. Davis, chairman Of the
1exas public service information bu-
reau was on the stand today in the
FEDERAL trade commissions utility in
vestigation.
Davis testified that his organiza-
ton and the Southwestern ~associa-
ton maintained close contact with
all Texas colleges.
Davis was called to the stand aft
er William G. Grant of Dallas, di-
rector Of the Texas Public Service
information bureau, was excused
subject TO recall. Documents intro
ouced IN connection with the testi-
mony of Grant showed that he J d
informed persons that he had pre-
pared stories for the use of the As
ISOLATED Press and the United Press
IN connection with public utility ac-
t~ivities in Texas.
Pad for Farm Survey
Davis testified that John Z. Wag-
goner, a mechanical engineer, con-
neeted with Texas A. & NJ. college,
conducted the survey of rural cleo
triflcatlon in Texas on money paid
through the Southwestern associa-
ITO 70 Texas A. & NJ. A statement
was submitted in connection with
this testimony in which it was
shown at $5,4l9 had bee nspent this
WAR IN ekn wr.wa1 -s.-~s. -
vey from the fr$ds of the South
western association. Collections for
the fund this year amounted to ST.
800. Another statement introduced
into the record showed that in 1927,
1921 was spent for the rural cleo
IRRIGATION study out of S19,679 col
lected by the organization.
Davis said that the utility organi-
cations in Texas had thorough con-
tact with all Texas colleges. This
contact, he said, was through per-
Sonal acquaintance Of utility men
with college officials and that the
utility organizations maintained the
contact IN order to get young men
into the industry from the colleges
and to help solve the problems Of
various communities.
Sought To Aid Youth
He said that utility men addressed
college students and high school
students on utility questions and
worked YER closely with the insti-
buttons on all problems Of develop
ment. he testified that the women's
committee of the organization work
ed IN the schools; that the utility
organizations trained the women to
runEn Gnnn~hnu q, a.
schools and that when the utility
companies could not get the women
from their employ who could de-
liver certain types Of speeches that
they obtained from the put
side. such as home economic experts.
The witness said that the Texas
utility organizations were not SO
worried about government owner
snip, but that they hoped that in the
publicity work they were doing they
had succeeded in conveying to the
people of Texas that public utilities
were better than municipal owner
ship Of utilities. The colleges OF
Texas are for the development Of
Texas, the wi less said, adding that
$4,000 Is being spent TO advertise
Texas. Davis did not say where the
S45O,OOO was coming from or how il
was being spent.
Davis testified he did not think
that the professors Of the Texas col
leges had opposed the government
ownership n added that the Texas
companies had cultivated contacts
with them for the benefit of the
communities, young college men and
for for Texas as a whole. He said
ms organization had no set policy
TO foster opposition to government
ownership.