Evening star., 1934-09-02
ELECTRIC RATES M.
sJI
TOUSERSSOUGHT,c
Federal Power Commission
Seeks Data TO Further
RooseVeIt's Dream.
By the Associated Prssa.

BY the Associated Press.
The Federal Power Commission u
ready to ask all electric companies
what they charge consumers for their
current.
Basil Manly, vice chairman, ann
nounced yesterday that schedules for
the Nationwide rate survey had been
completed and would be sent out to
every power company, private OF mu-
nicipal. 3.e-
The survey. ordered by Congress, 10
not intended as basis for rate-fixing,
but through publicity Of costs Win
advance President Roosevelt's dream
of low-cost electrical energy in every
home. -5a
The Chief Executive has set up q
special committee to formulate a ma
tional power policy and see that eIec-
tricity is available to every one at
the lowest cost. That committee,
with Secretary Ickes at its head, Is
now at work developing plan, as the
Chief Executive put it, whereby ma.
tional policy in power matters may be
unified and electricity may be, more
broadly available at cheaper rates to
Industry, to domestic, and particularly,
to agricultural consumers"
First Detailed Survey. e7a
The Power Commissions survey,
although an entirely independent lITl-
dertaking, undoubtedly will be the
basis for recommendations by 1ckes'
committee. -
by direction Of Congress- Manly
said, "the Federal Power Commission
is entering upon the FIRST Nationwide
detailed survey Of electric rates ever
made in this country.
THE reports are designed to present
clear picture of the rate situation
as it exists, in every State and section,
in small towns and rural regions, as
well as in the larger cities. - 4
"Rate-flxing is not the purpose of,
this inquiry. That is the function of
State regulatory bodies upon which
this commission has no authority, or
desire to intrude. -
Our mission is to fnd out what
rates actually are, what Companies
charge and consumers pay for cur
rent, and let the facts speak TOR
themselves. sch g%
Bills Basis for Comparison. -,
Customers bills for the various
classes Of consumers furnish the best
available basis for these compilations.
Conditions and service, cost Of gan
GRAFTON and distribution vary so
widely that comparisons are dificult.
But these bills will throw light on
rate trends, furnish the data for COM
parsons and be of great value to
consumers as well as to State regula-
tory commissions In the performance
Of their duties"
Manly said approximately 1880
communities In the country are sup
piled with electricity by 1927 pri-
vately-owned and 1902 publicly
operated plants, detailed statistics are
especially lacking, he said, for smaller
towns and rural areas which pay the
highest rates. He said it had been
estimated there are at least 100000
different rate schedules. e'2 .,
In making it known that the coun-
try had been divided into seven zones
to expediate the survey, Manley said:
Cooperation Is the spirit Of this
undertaking; private companies and
State and municipal officials work-
ing with our forces toward q common
end which is Of general benefit and
service" 1850.
Has Long Cherished Dream. e.
President Roosevelt has long cher
ished his dream Of lighting homes,
operating factories, easing the bur-
dens Of the housewife and bringing
modern conveniences to the farm with
low cost power.
He outlined this dream at Warm
Springs, Ga, even before assuming
the presidency and has moved toward
that goal since entering the White
House, on his return from his recent
Hawaiian vacation cruise, Mr.. Roose-
velt stopped at the site Of the Bonne-
vile, Greg, power project and said
the power that we are developing
here is going to be the power which
for all time is going to be controlled
by the Government" -. 80 e
The Bonneville Dam along with the
other great projects, such as Boulder
Dam, the President said, will serve
as "yardsticks" to show the public
whether they are paying too much,
for privately developed electricity.
DR.. William Z. Mosher, In charge
Of the rate survey, win be assisted by
supervisors in charge of seven dit-
ferent working zones. ..e.
The supervisors will be Harry s.
Arnold, New York; George r. Mad
dock, Chicago, and w. z. Miller, as
sistant at Chicago; A. r. wellwood,
Atlanta; g. r. Perkins, Omaha;
Everett Eshck, Fort Worth, and Roy
L. Davis, San Francisco, who will be
in charge Of two zones, Each super
visor will have twn or mara Aald