The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-12-18
Poluer Interests OF
 Nation Open Fight
tcontinued from Page 1)

fined to any particular industry
 but that the entire country was "off
 balance and lost it's economic equi-
 librium.''
 Replying to McCarter's defense
 of present utility rates, the com
 mission said "a few siple facts suf-
 ficiently disclose the fallacy of MI
 McCarter's labored arguments as
 to the reasonableness of electric
 rates in the United States.
 Official publications show that
 in 1882 the average domestic. con- sumer in the United States paid $34 year for electricity and in
 Canada paid $26.S3. But the con- sumner in Canada got 1,20S kilowatt hours for his money and in the United States only 611 kilowatt | hours.
 Tn other words" the commis- sion said, "the Canadian paid 1-5 l cents for his electricity and the | consumer in the United States 5
 1-2 cents. It is the purpose of the
 administration to narrow this gap" New York Takes Action New York, Dec 1S-(U.P. Re sentiment of city officials at utility
 rates quoted for. public buildings
 was expected to-day to lead to early
 consideration of plans for a muni- cipal power plant.
 Nine bids on city service by
 Public Utilities for street lighting, power and steam were rejected by
 Maurice P. Davidson, commissioner
 of water supply, gas and electricity.
 Davidson said utility companies
 had been overcharging the city by
 about 80 per cent and that the new bids contained surcharges
 ranging up to 6.9 per cent, appar- ently to cover new city taxes. Companies involved are the Queens Borough Gas and Electric Company, Staten Island Edison Company, The New York and
 Queens Electric Light and Power Company, Brooklyn Edison Com pany, New York Edison, United Electric Light and Power, West chester Lighting, Bronx Gas and
 Electric and the New York Steam Corporation. ~ Davidson said he expected soon to recommend to the administra- tion that the city supply its own power and light. His department is preparing report on studies of steam heating and generating plants. It will be completed within a month.
 Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia again entered the utility controver-
 sy. He directed Corporation Coun- sel Paul Windels to oppose a rate adjustment sought by the compan- ies from the public service commits sion. La Guardia declared war on
 utilities Sunday and charged they are attempting to shift new tax bur dens to the consumer.
 President In It Washington, Dec. IS - (UP) =
 The power fight waxed hotter to-
 day when President Roosevelt re- vealed he had interested himself
 in the New York city fight for
 lower utility rates.
 The president revealed that
 Mayor Fiorello La Guardia and
 Maurice P. Davidson, New York city commissioner of water supply, gas and electricity, would confer with him within a few days. The conference with the New
 York city officials came after a bristling exchange between the
 Edison Electric Light Institute and
 the federal power commission re- garding the presidents general
 program of power ''yardsticks'
 and especially the IVA experi- ment.
 The presidents interest in the New York city fight was taken to
 indicate his intention of forcing
 the fight for lower utility rates
 along all fronts.
 The La Guardia administration
 has hinted that it may build it's
 own power plant for supplying the city due to high private rates, 1t
 was said. Davidson has rejected
 bids for supplying light, power and steam for 1885 on grounds the costs are excessive.
 In announcing his coming con- ference with La Guardia and
 Davidson, the White House recall
 ed that once before MT Roosevelt had interested himsel to lower New York city electric rates. While Assistant Secretary of the
 Navy, MT Roosevelt initiated a
 survey of rates which enabled the Brooklyn Navy Yard to cut it's
 electric costs from $900,000 to $300,000. The Navy Yard now has
 it's own plant, built at cost of | $300,00.