Evening star., 1935-02-24
TRIO IN CONGRESS
BACK D. c. UTILITY
OWNERSHIP BY US.
Maverick to Introduce Bill
for Purchase of All
in Washington.
IECKERT AND RANDOLPH
| PLEDGE THEIR SUPPORT
Roberts Favors Project-Urges
Great Falls Hydroelectric
Power Development.

Three members Of Congress yester-
day pledged their support to a move
ment to put all public utilities in the
District of Columbia under Federal
ownership and operation.
Representative Maury Maverick,
Democrat, of Texas told the dele
gates to the Ninth Biennial Public
Ownership Conference at the Willard
Hotel he will soon introduce q bill
in the House to provide for the pur-
chase of all utilities in the District,
including street car, electric and gas
companies. Representatives Jennings
Randolph, Democrat, of West Vir-
ginia and Charles r. Eckert. Demo-
crat, of Pennsylvania pledged their
support to the movement.
THE Government has tried to con-
troll public utilities and has made a
failure of it," Maverick said, 80
the next step must be complete own
ership and control by the Federal
Government"
Resolution Adopted.
The conference last night adopted
a resolution favoring Federal owner
ship and control of all hydro-electric
projects and their facilities for de-
livering power in interstate commerce.
The resolution stipulated that the
Federal Government should originate,
design, develop and own in perpetuity
all the permanent works and facilities
for developing the water and power
plant" in such projects as the T. V. A,
Boulder Canyon Dam, the Columbia,
Upper Mississippi and st. Lawrence
Rivers
States within the regions to be served
by these projects, the resolution said,
should construct power lines to serve
cities and rural communities, PRO
vided that all transmission lines origi-
mated by the Federal Government shall
be owned and operated by the Federal
Government"
Dr. William Mcclellan, president
of the Potomac Electric Power Co.
was among the visitors at the after
noon session when the whole gamut
of public utility problems was dis
cussed by several speakers.
Roberts Praises Pepco.
Peoples Counsel William A. Rob-
erts spoke in favor of public owner
ship. He praised the Potomac Elec-
trio Power Co. as one of the best
in the country, but said the rates
charged for electric energy here are
excessive. He favored development
of a hydroelectric power project on
the Potomac River above Great Falls.
He said the cost of production by
steam in the Washington plant Of
the company is about 3 mills per
kilowatt hour of energy and that the
company is buying power from a
Maryland plant and carrying it over
more than 100 miles of high-tension
line and at rate of 112 mills per
Glowatt.
Charles NJ Hopkins, regional direc-
tor of the Public Ownership League,
also spoke in favor of the develop
ment of Great Falls as a power prof.
ect. Other speakers on the District
meeting program were Col. George
! r. Laird, president of the Public
Ownership League of the District;
Harvie w. Goddin, economist and util-
ity engineer. and Arthur W. Watwood,
president Of the Progressive Voters
League.
L. J. Scheer. assistant to the pres
ident Of the Detroit, Mich, City Coun-
Gil. at the morning session Of the con-
ference made plea for public own
ership of all public utilities. He told
OF the progress in the plan to pipe
natural gas from the Texas oil fields
to the population centers of the Mid
! die West through pipe lines built with
Public Works Administration funds
He said Secretary Ickes, P. w. A. ad-
miniStrator, and James v. Alfred,
Governor of Texas, had practically
come to an agreement on the pipe
line construction. The project in
wolves the expenditure of approxi-
mately $50,000,000. Scheer said the
greatest monopoly in the country ex-
| lists in the gas industry.
Describes Springfield Savings.
Samuel ]. Sibley, superintendent of
light and power in Springfield, H., de-
scribed the savings affected by Spring
! field with its municipally-o light
and power plant and water works Sys-
TEN.
Public ownership of radio was ad-
vocated by Bruce Bliven, editor of
the New Republic Magazine, in a talk
last night. He said the radio had
degenerated from public service in
stitution into money-making adver-
tising scheme. He suggested the Gov
eminent set up and operate a few
powerful stations throughout the
country, broadcaSting from the only
programs designated solely for en-
tertainment or for the edification Of
| the public.
The conference, which opened
Thursday morning, will continue
through tomorrow.