Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-26
Joe, Do Your Stuff

AS petitioner and the largest
single consumer Of power in the Dis
trict, the Governments intervention
through the Treasury Department in
the pending Pepco rate case is well
come. If the Government can show
that lower rates are justified, benefits
of the reduction will extend to every
consumer in the District.
The same thought applies in con-
nection with the Treasury'S notifica-
ton to the Public Utilities Commits
sion that it will seek to have the
sliding scale arrangement abrogated
and an entirely new rate base sub
stituted for it. If the Treasury, the
OPA or anybody else can demon
strate to the Public Utilities Commits
sion that there is a fairer and more
satisfactory method of fixing utility
rates than by the sliding scale ar
rangement-let us have it.
At the same time, the Treasurys
intervention in the caSe-alOng with
that of the OPA-Would be regarded
with more assurance if it was unac-
companied by threats. The Govern
ment'S attitude, as represented by
counsel for the Treasury's Procure
ment Division, is not particularly
conducive to an impression of fair
ness to all concerned.
The Public Utilities Commission is
established by law to fix rates that
are fair to the consumer, fair to the
utilities and in the public interest.
The Treasury agent comes into this
court with threat. He says very
plainly that after due consideration
1t has been decided to intervene in
the Casa perfectly PROPER action,
for the Government consumes more
than a quarter Of all electricity gen.
Grated in the District and is inter
ested in getting lower rates. But,
says the Government agent, this does
not mean that other remedies are
lacking. There can be special rate,
or there is public ownership, or GER
tain "other methods" provided by
Congress under the War Powers Act
to get rate reduction.
That, together with the OPA's de-
claration, in advance Of a hearing,
that existing rates are excessive and
unreasonable" tend to place the
Public Utilities Commission in the
extraordinary position Of being told
by Government agents that it must
decide this case as the Government
wants it decided-or else. That is
not an admirable attitude for the
Government to assume through its
agents. 1t is the same attitude that
now is bringing SO many bitter roper
cussions from Congress. For the
citizens are tired of it.
The sliding scale arrangement was
contained in a consent decree entered
In 1924 after 10 years of fruitless
litigation over valuation Of the COM
pany. Under it, rates have been re-
duced each year since 1925 until
1912, when they remained the same.
Perhaps the sliding scale is anti
uuated and should be reconstructed
or done away with. But that should
be determined by the Public Utilities
Commission-not the lawyers from
OPA and the Procurement Division
Of the Treasury with their threats Of
Government ownership or other
vague and mysterious methods.
Introducing Joseph J. OConnell,
assistant general counsel Of the
Treasury, Secretary Morgenthau told
reporters yesterday that he knew the
details of the Governments proposed
intervention in the rate case and
would give them out. so, Joe, do
your stuff" he said. Here in Wash
ington we want to be sure that if
the sliding scale is Scrapped, some
thing better is substituted for it. In
other words, we know the men who
devised the sliding scale and have
made it work since 1924. We do not
know Joe