Evening star., 1934-12-23
Orr Joins Attack on Rate
Compromise, Asking
for Delay.
CHAIRMAN OF BOARD
DEFENDS SETTLEMENT
Order Already Entered by State
Commission-Citizens' Groups
Complain.
BY TED KELLOGG,

CLARENDON, Va, December pa
second attack on the acceptance by the
Arlington County Board of compro-
mise gas rate reduction offered Thurs
day by the Rosslyn Gas Co. came late
today when Arthur Orr. president of
the Arlington County Civic Fedora
ton, telegraphed the Virginia Corpo-
ration Commission, at Richmond, ask
ing that body to withhold acceptance
of the compromise rate pending de
velopment of the sentiment Of the gas
consumers themselves"
Earlier in the day Benjamin M.
Smith, chairman of the county board,
told The Star he considered 1--WE made
q good trade and the gas users of
Arlington County should be congratu-
lated upon receiving the reduced gas
rates as Christmas gift" The de-
cision Of the board was final.
Kephart Protests.
The first formal protest against ac-
ceptance of the compromise came late
yesterday, when Calvin I. Kephart,
chairman of the county Public Utilities
Commission, declared the boards ac-
ton was "unduly hasty."
Commenting on Kephart's state
ment, embodied in a letter to the
county board, Smith declared the re-
duction in rates was virtually identi-
cal with the cut ordered more than a
year ago by the Virginia Corporation
Commission and said he saw no rea-
SON. for reoponing the case, as KEEP
hart requested, so that the Public
Utilities Commission could study the
compromise proposal.
Although Orr sent his wire yester-
day afternoon, it was learned the
compromise already had been entered
in the books of the Corporation Com
mission IN Richmond. 1t is not known
what effect the protesting telegram
and the letter which followed it will
have on the action of the Corpora
ton Commission and the entering of
the rate cut in the records.
Orr Explains Claim. -
In letter sent to explain his tele-
gram to Richmond, Orr said:
Numerous civic organization lead
ers of Arlington County have tele-
phoned me, protesting against the ac-
ceptance of the compromise offer of
the Rosslyn Gas Co. rate case.
THE Executive Committe of the
Arlington County Civic Federation
has directed me to request that ac-
ceptance of the offer be not consum-
mated until after representatives of
the various civic organizations of the
county and any other gas consumers
desiring to be heard have had an op-
portunity, in public meeting, to hear
counsel for your commission explain
the details and the effect of the COM
promise, so that they may express
themselves as to the advisability of
acceptance or non acceptance of same.
Edmund D. Campbell of counsel
for your commission discussed this
matter with me several days ago. He
told me he thought some effort ought
to be made to ascertain the sentiment
OF the gas consumers group as dis
tinguished from the county board
itself. 1t must be said for him that
he made an effort to have representa-
tives Of our group present at the in
formal conference with the county
board on last Thursday night.
No Notice Given.
There was no general public notice
OF that meeting and the gas con-
suners knew nothing about it until
they read the account of it in the
next mornings papers. Mr. Campbell
informs me that he urged the county
board to take no action approving
the compromise until they had first
made some effort to obtain the senti-
ment Of larger group. His advice
in this matter was disregarded by
the board.
II feel it is my duty to inform you
that there is strong resentment among
a substantial group of gas consumers
against the surrender of approx
mately $4,000 of impounded rebates
coming to them under your original
order. It is possible that a full and
complete understanding on their part
of the merits Of the compromise would
reconcile them to its acceptance.
II believe it is only fair to them
and that it will be for the best public
interest If you can grant the request
herein presented and defer final ac-
ton on the compromise until any gas
consumers desiring to do SO may have
adequate opportunity to be heard"
Campbell Defends Action.
Campbell. counsel for the Cor
poration Commission, who recon-
mended the compromise be accept
ed, although it did lose to county
gas consumers $4,000 refund which
might have been theirs had the Fed
eral Court denied the injunction
sought by the gas company, pointed
out that 'in any compromise the
possibility of loss and the certainty
of substantial delay must be taken
into consideration"
He pointed out there was a posi-
biity the case might have been won
by the company, thereby losing both
the refund and the rate cut, and in
any event it probably would be de-
layed several years, whereas, by ac-
ceptance of the compromise, the con-
sumers are given an immediate rate
cut which Is practically the same as
the one they sought in court.
Dissemination Removed.
The effect Of accepting the COM
promise, he pointed out, is to bring
rates in Arlington County in line with
those charged in other suburban areas,
thereby removing what he termed dis
elimination against county users.
Campbell said the compromise rates
had the sanction of the State Cor
poration Commission before they were
presented to the board. The compro-
mise was entered on the books of the
commission in Richmond today.
The gas company agreed to drop
the case upon agreement of the Coun-
" Board to the compromise.