Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-17
CAPITAL TRACTION
LIKELY TO Defer
FARE RAISE MOVE
Expected to Wait Until UtiIi-
ties Commission Is
Reorganized.
PETITION AUTHORIZED
BY DIRECTORS IN MARCH
New Group Faces Possible Tele-
phone Rate Revision Early
Next Month.

The Capital Traction Co. probably
will defer its contemplated move for a
higher fare until the Public Utilities
Commission is reorganized, it was indi-
Gated today at the commissions eXecu-
tive Offices in the District Building.
The commission has expected the
company's application for an increased
fare for nearly two months, for 1t was
in March that the directors authorized
the executive board to file the petition,
The directors, however, did not suggest
time limit for filing the application:
but left this detail to the discretion" OF
the executive board.
The delay thus far, it is believed
was due to the desire of the traction
officials to determine the prospect OF
ratification by Congress at the present
special session of the transit merger
agreement which expires June l. Now
with congressional action at TINS time
conside ed extremely unlikely the COM
pany finds, in the present status OF the
commission, another reason to withhold
the application.
ChiIdress Quits May 81.
Although it has been reported that
the Senate early next week may con-
firm President Hoover's nomination OF
Mai. Gen. Mason M. Patrick and Har-
IL.
commission, the reorganization OF the
commission cannot be completed before
June /, as the resignation OF John w.
Childress, the p 'esent chairman, does
not become effective until May 81.
Gen. Patrick, successor to Mr. ChildreSs,
therefore. cannot take Office before that
date. Mr.. Hartman, who was appoint
ed to succeed Col. Harrison Brand, IT..
however, is expected to be indicted into
IN q
The traction officials realize, IL was
said, that little, II any, consideration
would be given the application should 1t
be filed before the new members take
ONCE, and will therefore be content TO
wait several weeks longer. BY delaying
the petition until after June the COM
pany also it was pointed out. will be In
q position to use the failure OF the
merger as one of Its arguments IN sup
port Of q fare raise.
Phone Agreement to Expire.
Aside from the impending fare-in-
crease application, the practically new
commission also will be faced early in
June with a possible revision OF tele-
plaone rates, as the two-year agreement
between the commission and the Chesa-
peake 81 Potomac Telephone Go. not to
disturb existing rates, expires at the END
of this month. The fixing OF new tele-
phone rates, it is believed at the COM
mission. may involve a revaluation,
which would take year or more to
complete.
The new commission also will inherit
the bus terminal problem, which the
present members have discussed for two
years without reaching a solution.
Chairman ChildreSS has made deter
mined efforts to have union depot es-
tablished for all motor busses engaged
in Interstate transportation, but the
only tangible result has been to produce
offers from real estate men to sell de-
sirable sites. The bus operators have
not yet definitely indicated whether
they would use such terminal, al
though the commission has warned
them that it has the authority to force
them tn do So