Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-16

through a representative. yesterday
wrote Representative Mcleod, Repub-
lican, of Michigan that if Congress
would write into the merger legislation
g clause authorizing reduced fares for
school children, the commission will
promptly take advantage of the au-
thority thus granted" 1t would not be
necessary, the letter stated, to make
the reduced fares mandatory. Indeed,
If this were done it might be necessary
TO order the reduced school child fares
in taxicab and other common carriers.
The letter. which was in answer to a
series of questions propounded by Nc
Leod, said in part:
5000 Children Ride Daily.
Bearing in mind the fact that many
of the schools are within fairly easy
walking distance of the children's
homes, and the better weather condi-
lions during the early and the latter
parts of the school year, it seems prob
able that the average number of chill
dren using public transportation each
day of the school year may be taken
as about 5000.
Assuming that they all now use the
s % cents tokens and ride twice each
day, the decrease in revenue should be
about as follows, using round figures:
Flat scent fare. $4,000 or IL per
cent: fiat Scent fare, S65,000 or &c per
cent; if carried free, $4,000 or Al per
cent.
ION the other hand, there is no way
to know how many more such riders
there would be If the fare is reduced,
or If children are carried free. In the
latter case, free rides, it is most prob
able that the number availing them
selves of such privilege would at times
be very large.
Attention is also invited to the fact
that at present most of the school
children using public transportation
ride during the rush hours and if, with
no change in school hours. there should
be a considerable increase in their
number, due to lower fares or free rides,
the street car companies might have to
put on more cars, which would add to
their operating expenses and thus still
further reduce net revenue.
The records of this Office indicate
that very careful study was made of
this matter of granting reduced fares
TO school children. For your informa-
ton am inclosing herewith a copy of
an opinion rendered by the Corporation
Counsel, dated December 10. 1923, in
which the power of the commission was
most fully discussed. CThe opinion held
that the commission did not have the
power to order the lower fares).
AS to the present commission. it has
given the subject most careful thought
ana not long ago discussed the advisa-
bllity Of issuing an order putting into
effect such reduced fares.
Higher Fares Already Demanded.
"At that very time it was confronted
by demand of the street railway COM
panies for higher fares based upon the
contention that the present rates are
confiscatory. There was every PROP
ability that the commissions decision
TO refuse to grant the higher rates of
fare would be appealed to the courts.
ANY decreased revenue, due to lower
fares for school children, would be used
as an additional argument to convince
the court that the street railway COM
panies should be given authority to exact
the higher fares for which they were
appealing.
In the last paragraph of your letter
you ask whether the commission would
object to amending the clause in the
pending merger legislation relating to
reduced fares for school children SO as
to make this provision mandatory At
tention is invited to the fact that as
this clause now appears in the merger
agreement authorizing the commission
Ito establish reduced rates of fare for
school children it refers not only to
street railways and bus companies. but
20 all other forms of public transporta-
ton operating in the District of Co
1umbla-for example, taXicabS, sight
seeing BUSES. etc. If enacted into law
as now written, the commission will be
authorized TO act as conditions at any
time make necessary or advisable. If
made mandatory 1t would apparently
be necessary, at present, to limit the
provision merely to street cars and bus
lines Under such circumstances. while
the commission has no rooted objection
TO changing this clause so as TO make it
mandatory, it believes such a change
unnecessary and inadvisable. Further
more, If this legislation is passed IN the
perniSsive form, then have no doubt
that the commission will promptly take
advantage Of the authority thus
granted"
Stakeholder FaVOrs Cut.
John j. Noonan, formerly one Of the
largest stockholders of the Washington
Railway g. Electric Co. who has been
fghting many years for free transport
tation for school children. Issued a
statement yesterday claiming that the
loss to all the street car and bus lines
sof Washington would be less than
900 if they carried school children
free.
RlNtO tilt COMPANIES ENCly bNAS-hN "a
sthe count when it is stated that the
loss would be $4,000 If the school
tchildren were carried free" said Moo
nan. 1T say the loss would be S8,260,
and that this loss would be distributed
among all the car companies and
bus lines.
"A Scent fare, the, commission be
lieves. would effect a loss Of sos, 600.
Competent accountants have supplied
me with figures showing that loss would
actually be S4,550.
Working Class Befriended.
washington is the only city In
America or in the world that has not
some sort of reduced car fare for school
children. In face of the fact that liv-
ing costs have increased 500 per cent
in my lifetime and the average wage
of workers has increased only 25 pei
cent, it Is time something were done
to relieve conditions affecting the lives
of working people"
Program for Dutch.