Evening star., 1932-04-10
TRANSIT MERGER
ASKED IN REPORT
GIVEN TO HOUSE
Continued From First Page.)

the question to the Public Utilities
Commission. The commission opposed
the amendment on the ground that fire.
quently it Is desirable to establish new
bus lines into new territory. Such lines
do not Immediately pay. To require
such free transfers by law would often
prevent such new bus lines being estab-
1iShed. 1t is clear that the commission
wnen 1t deems 1t in the public interest,
may require such free transfers"
Reduced Fares for Children.
Regarding reduced fares for school
children, the Black report explains that
by an act approved February IS, 1881,
Congress made effective a Scent fare
for school children. While the compa-
nies have appealed to the courts against
this law, there Is no reason to antici-
pate at this time any modification of it.
It would be idle for the Congress. once
having passed law, to pass another to
become operative if the first were de-
clared invalid. The committee has,
therefore, rejected amendments on this
subject"
REGARDING power, the report explains
Hs follows: Practically all street car
riders are electric light and power con-
Sumers, but there are many electric light
and power consumers who never use the
street car companies.
Under the resolution, as recon-
mended by the Public Utilities Commits
sion and approved by the companies,
there would be contract for 63 per
cent Of the power used by the unified
company and the price of the remain
ing 81 per cent would be fixed by the
commission. Under the arrangement
suggested the cost of the 63 per cent
undoubtedly will be low, which would
favor the car riders. Amendments were
proposed leaving the price of all to be
liked by the commission. The commit
tee does not believe the issue important
lSlnce the commission, with the power
/ to f1x the price of 81 per cent, could
SNAKE the average cost to the unified
company at any reasonable rate it saw
mt to approve"
Discussing the expense of crossing DO
lice and paving, the Black report is as
follows: 'The resolution as reported
follows the original recommendation of
the Public Utilities Commission Previ-
ouSly, exactly the same provisions have
been approved by the District commit
tees Of both Senate and House. The
policemen provision has the indorse-
ment Of the District Commissioners and
of the Budget Bureau. but the Commits
sioners and the Budget Bureau have
recommended provision on paving not
so favorable to the efficient operation of
unified company"
Commissioners Letter.
Mr.. Black includes the letter of the
Commissioners on this subject.
The charging of paving costs against
street car companies" he points out,
haO IN Il
pavementS were worn out BY the tramp
of the horses. Similar provision to that
contained in the statutes are still to be
found in the laws of many States But
in recent years, there has been a dis
tinct tendency toward relieving the
street railways Of their paving burden
either in whole or in part.
"As compared with the figures on
paving costs given by the District Com
missionerS, President Hanna of the
Capital Traction Co. testified that the
annual reduction in paving costs, which
the new company would enjoy under
the amendment submitted, would be
not more than SIPS, 900 per year for
the two companies"
Mr.. Black attaches a memorandum
prepared by Mr.. Hanna showing the
tendency in recent years in all parts
of the United States to relieve street
railway companies from paving costs.
In his general conclusion, Mr. Black
emphasizes that THE committee be-
lieveS strongly that the merger resolu-
ton should be adopted so that this
question, which has been before Con-
gress for 25 years or more, may be
disposed of without further delay. It's
needs, as pointed out by the park and
planning commission, have been greatly
intensified by the Governments devel-
opment in the triangle south of Penn
sylvania avenue 1t should also be
pointed out that the present widespread
economic depression is bearing so heav-
lily upon these companies that this
measure may be very properly desig-
mated as one of economic emergency.