Evening star., 1937-06-27
Threat of Z. S. Operation Of
Local Transportation System.

As USUAL there has cropped out
in connection with the hear
ines of the Capital Transit Co.
case before the Public Utilities
Commission a threat that the
United States will be asked to take
over and operate the system unless
certain civic demands are met. The
civic leader credited with this
threat denies that he believes In
public ownership and operation OF
public utilities but expresses the
opinion that such course would be
preferable to present conditions.
Since this announcement some
active workers have been weighing
the possibilities of such public
ownership and operation as a solu-
ton of our public transportation
problem just what would be in
volved in putting such a plan
into effect; what benefits and bur-
dens would it entail? How would
the new system work and what
would be its advantages and disad-
vantages, If any? All of these are
fair questions. which the problem
suggests.
AS preliminary to the Govern
ment operation it would first be
necessary that the required legisla-
ton be enacted and the transporta-
ton system be captured either by
purchase or condemnation. Title
to the system would very likely be
taken to the property in the name
OF the United States, as is done In
the case of the purchase of parks
and recreation grounds in the Dis
trlct of Columbia. Following this
same practice, the District would
surely be required to pay the pur-
chase price of the transportation
system.
The amount required for the
purchase would be entirely too
large to be carried in the annual
appropriation bill, so in this in
stance bond issue would very
likely be authorized and the Dis
trict of Columbia taxpayers be
given the privilege Of annually pay
ing the interest and substantial
amounts to a sinking fund.
When all of these preliminaries
are taken care of and the system
is completely in the hands Of Uncle
Sam it will, supposedly, be ad-
mlnStered by him with the same
high degree OF efficiency with
which he runs the National Capt.
tai. OF course the financing of the
operation and maintenance OF the
system would be carried in the
District budget and the District
taxpayers would be responsible for
any OF the expenses of poor man.
agement by inefficient, politically
appointed officials. And even If
the officials selected to operate the
system were efficient, some citizens
see a serious danger OF inefficient
operation due to our peculiar budg-
etary procedure They have visions
OF rolling stock idle in the car
barns because of too close Cheese
pairing" by the Bureau of the
Budget or by committees of Con-
gress. In some cases it would be
because there had been q sharp
cut in the appropriation for per-
sonnel or in others because the cut
for repairs and part requirements
had been too drastic.
One has only to look at the
operation Of the Water Department
to flnd a deadly parallel Of budg-
etary parsimony. Here we ind
that with plenty of money in an
"earmarked" fund there Is never
enough money appropriated to
provide for installation Of water
meters or replacement of defective
meters. No such difficulties as to
meters have ever been experienced
by the gas company or the electric
power company.
AS to the rates of fares to be
charged-they would naturally be
fixed by Congress at whatever
figure it took notion. One small
group discussing the matter in
formally the other day during q
recess of the utilities hearing
agreed that under such q system
OF operation members OF the House
and Senate, probably would ride
on free annual passes. It was
even suggested that these passes
would be fine examples Of the en-.
gravers art similar to the passes