Evening star., 1933-03-19
WATER RENT CUT
/ IN DISTRICT URGED
Citizens Federation Also
Asks Utilities Abolish Tardy
: Bill Penalty.

Resolutions requesting 20 per cent
reduction In water rents In the District
and also q reduction or abolition Of pen
alties charged by public utilities for
tardy payment of service bills were
unanimously adopted by the Federation
of Citizens Associations at It's meeting
last night in the board room OF the Dis
trict Building.
Both resolutions were presented by
George E. Sullivan, as chairman OF the
federation's Committee on Law and
Legislation. The water rents resolution
praised the action of both houses OF
Congress in including a provision in the
1884 appropriation bill, which failed OF
passage, to allow discount OF 10 per
cent on water bills where the bills are
paid promptly. 1t pointed out that the
present water rents are leading to .
surplus of approximately $700. 900, which
Is unusued and unusable, and that the
20 per cent cut would reduce this sur
plus by about 100000.
Phone Company Cited.
The utilities discount resolution
pointed out that the Chesapeake & Po-
tomac Telephone Co. makes no addi-
relies on its power to discontinue serv-
ice where bills are not paid and to ex-
act a deposit Of the customers in ad-
vance of connecting service. The Po-
toniac Electric Power Co. and the WASH
ington and Georgetown Gas Light COM
panies, the resolution said, have the
same powers.
The federation briefly considered the
subject of appointments OF retired
Army officers to posts as civilian Dis
trict Commissioners, and Edwin S.
Hege read the text of speech on this
subject by the late Senator Thomas
Walsh Of Montana. The Senator had
held that the appointment Of q retired
Army officer would be violation OF
the act Of 1878, setting up the COM
District The text of the speech ap-
pears In an adjoining column.
A group of resolutions from the Pub
lie Helth Committee asked for continued
use of the two high temperature in
Generators recently constructed, abolish
ing the dump now maintained at Mon
tana avenue and II street northeast;
more sewers for the Congress Heights
district in southeast Washington, and
a war ON starlings with view to their
"early and effective abatement"
The starting resolution, now some
thing Of a hardy perennial came to the
committee from the Dupont Circle Citi-
Eens' Association.
The federation adopted q resolution
suggesting an amendment to the Pub
lie Utilities act 50 as to give the Public
Utilities Commission sole and exclusive
legislative discretion in matters before
1t, and conf1ne the judiciary to the
task Of reviewing the record before the
commission so as to protect the consti-
tutionA rights Of parties before that
body.
D. C. Workers Favored.
Another resolution adopted favored
legislation making it mandatory to write
into all the municipal contracts q
clause giving preference in employment
to mechanics and laborers who are bona
flde residents Of the District. Another
resolution urged the Commissioners to
proceed with construction work on
schools, streets, etc., holding it would
lures for these purposes.
A resolution submitted by the Com.
mittee con Police and Fire Protection
recommending the use of revolving RED
lights for fire trucks was adopted.
David Bapb, secretary Of the fedora
ton, was made chairman of the Com
mittee on local suffrage to replace the
late George B. Bishop, deceased.
The federation adopted resolution
expressing sympathy to the family OF
the late Albert L. Harris, municipal
architect for II years. The resolution
praised the results which Harris was
able to accomplish, and concluded, "the
work which he has done will live long
after him and the structures which he
created will be admired by generations
yet unborn"