Evening star., 1929-07-01
Commissions First Move
Since Taking Office June |
Is to Write Companies.
w. R. & E. JOINS
10c FARE REQUEST
Officials Asked to Include Company
in Petition Of Capital
Traction Co.


day dispatched letters to the Capital
Traction and Washington Railway d
Electric Cos. inviting them to submit
plans for merging Washington's street
railway systems. The letter suggested
that, If the companies were unwilling
TO merge, they should state the rea-
sons for this unwililngness "at some
length
This was the first move In the mer-
ger situation since the present commits
sion took Office June with the appoint
ment Of Maj Gen Mason M Patrick
and Harleigh H. Hartman to sue
ceed John w. ChiIdress and Lieut..
COL Harrison Brand, jr. While neither
Commissioner would comment on the
letter for publication, it was learned
chat the move had been in contem-
plation ever since they took ONCE.
Shortly after the letter OF the COM
mission went forward 1t was announced
that the Washington Railway 81 Elec-
trio Co. had joined the Capital Trac-
ton IN a petition filed several weeks
ago to increase the fares on its lines
to 10 cents cash with four tokens for
80 cents. When the Capital Traction
filed its petition for an increase it
asked the commission to make the
Washington Railway q party to the
proceedings. The commission did SO
and the petition today was in the form
OF an answer to the notice Of the hear
ing.
The old merger agreement, which ex-
pired June /, after 1t had failed Of
enactment in Congress owing to objec-
tions by members Of the Senate Dis
close scrutiny Of the commissioners
ever since.
Reports Checked Up.
The reports of the hearings on the
merger agreement before the commis-
sion and both houses Of Congress have
been carefully checked up, Mr.. Hart
man often taking some Of the bulky
documents home TO work on after leay-
ing the once. It was learned tilat had
the present commissioners been In
office at the time of the expiration OF
the merger agreement, they would have
dispatched letter similar to the one
sent today Immediately. The delay hes
been allowed simply for the purposes "a
a study of Ihs situation
The text of the letter sent to the
heads OF the companies "a as follows:
Gentlemen: Apparently majority
OF those who have studied the matter
agree that the street railway facilities
of the growing Capital City should be
operated by single agency. The Public
Utilities Commission Is strongly of this
opinion, and believes that such D
merger of the separate street railway
companies Is desirable for the best M
terests Of the people, and that it should
be welcomed by the companies them
selves.
Benefit i'm Hearings.
THE agreement presented by the
street railway companies some little
time ago, by its terms lapsed on tuk
first day Of June, 1929. The hearings
before the congressional committees old.
however. greatly clarity the situation.
I'm the light Of the information
brought out at these hearings, It would
seem to be possible now to perfect q
merger agreement which would be fair
to the public, fair to the street railway
companies and generally acceptable.
1.-THE Public Utilities Commission,
therefore, wishes to be informed
whether or not your company is willing
to be party to such merger agree
ment. and to present it to the commits
sion for its action at an early date.
IF you are unwilling, you are re-
quested to state, at some length, your
reasons for declining to do so"
The petition for an increase In the
fares of the Capital Traction Co., now
pending before the commission, ap-
parently had no bearing on the formu-
lating of the letter. That petition Is
scheduled for public hearing July 30,
but any merger agreement submitted
before or after this time, it is under
L.
petition.
In any case, no merger could be ef-
fectuated without enactment by Con-
gress The duty of the commission
ends, in that respect, after 1t has re-
ported to Congress that the merger
proposition Is approved. or, If not, the
reasons for disapproval. That was
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