Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-24
CLAYTON CENSURED
FOR STAND TAKEN
AT GAS HEARINGS

CONTINUED From First Page)
Yaden, ii was said. then moved that
ali the acts of the Executive Committee
be considered as confidential. There
was also g. suggestion offered from the
floor that all of the previous resolutions
should be DESTROYED, so that no record
would remain Of the committees DELHI
erations. Mr. Bowles refused to adopt
the latter suggestion, stating that all
Of the resolutions were part of the rec
ord of the meeting, and that the action
OF the committee must be reported to
the full body of the federation when 1t
assemblies on the first Saturday in Oc-
tober. Mr.. Yacien's secrecy motion never
came 70 a vote.
49, TO Commission.
In opposition to this Mr.. Goldman
moved that copies of The resolution be
sent 70 each of the f1ve Washington
newspapers. This was opposed on the
ground that the attitude Of the news
papers would be upfavorahle. A COM
promise was finally reached whereby
It was agreed that a. copy of the reso-
luton should be sent to the Public Utili-
ties Commission, and there was a tacit
understanding, although not expressed
IN the way of formal resolution, that
nothing should be said of the meeting
until the resolution reached the COM
mission. The resolution came in to the
commission today with an accompanying
letter from President George c. Haven
ner, who had meantime returned to the
city. The document reads.
we the Executive Committee of the
Federation of Citizens Associations in
meeting assembled this twentieth day
OF September, 1880, indorse the action
OF the Committee on Public Utilities of
the Federation OF Citizens Associations
as adopted at special meeting thereof
and submitted TO the Public Utilities
Commission Of the District Of Column
bla, which reads as follows:
I'VE indorse the proposed rates in
principle, but favor readjustment more
equitable to those consumers using 1900
feet or less"
Following the text Of the resolution
DR.. Havenner added: The Executive
Committee, acting for the federation,
specifically stated that it did not in
dorse the motion to dismiss without
prejudice the new rate schedule filed
with the Public Utilities Commission
py the Washington Gas Light Co. nor
does 1t indofse the motion to begin re-
xaIuatlon OF the properties of the
washington Gas Light Co. before ac-
eeptlng the new rate schedule
1t Is the opinion of the Executive
Committee that the reduction in rates
proposed by the gaS light company
should be accepted at once and that
the matter of reYoluation be considered
at some later date.
Yours very sincerely,
(Signed.)
GEORGE C. HAvENNER,
President"
Three Not Voting.
Among those who voted for the reso-
tuition were everybody present excen,
Mr.. Clayton, Capt. @. L. Shorev. Piney
Branch, and A. H. Gregory, Stanton
Park. Capt. Shorey voted present
and Gregory and Clayton did not vote
1t was reported.
At the meeting Clayton. it was said
vigorously defended himself by pointing
out that revaluation of public utilities
has been the backbone Of the fedora :
tons public utility policy for II years.
he said the federation should not sit
IDLY by and see the Public Utilities Com
mission accepting offers made to it by
utility concerns without investigating
what they were offering. He pointed
out that at the last inquiry into the
return earned by the gas company il
was shown that the rate was 10 Der
cent, and that IL the company had
made an offer it could most likely af-
ford more than what it offered a mat
ter which would be shown up by g
Toluation proceeding.
When the action Of the committee /:
reported TO the fun federation at its frs
Winter meeting a week from next Sat.
nrday, as under the constitution it must
she resultant battle is expected to be OF
1ar-reaching proportions. If the fed.
Grafton accepts the idea of. the Execu
tive Committee that committee chair.
men should be limited in their function.
30 those Of messenger boys" a radica
change must come over the working
methods of most of the COMMITTEES
chail1nen. 1t is not believed that many
OF them will give up their prerogative!
without fight.
The messenger boy theory is some
thing entirely new TO the federation
AS far back as its veteran member
can remember committee chairmel
have lobbied industriously Wheneve
such work was necessary.
What the final outcome will be
difficult to conjecture. Mr. Clayton ha
had his battles with the federation il
the past and has always managed b
come out. on top. At any rate, the dele
gates in the know have already begul
20 form lines for the next election Q
/ ef6cers Ia November.
So 49,