Evening star., 1944-03-04
|0PA, vinson
Ask Cut in DC.
Transit Fares
Request Early Hearing
By PUG and Right
To Intervene

The Office of Price Admins
tration and the economic stabi-
lization director today called on
the Public Utilities Commission
to set an early date for public
hearings on reduction of Capital
Transit fares and at the same
time asked the right to inter-
vene in the proceedings.
After the hearing, the agencies
want the PUG to issue tempo
rary or immediate order" reduce
ing the rates OF the company. Tho
petition was signed by Fred M. Vim
son, economic stabilization director,
and Chester Bowles, OPA admin
istrator.
The petition for Intervention
claimed existing fares are unjust
and unreasonable" and said the
commission should direct the transit
company to issue weekly passes good
for transfer to the Washington,
Marlboro & Annapolis Motor Lines
from Seventeenth street and Penn
sylvania avenue Sc. to Suitland,
Md
"A reduction in the rates and
fares of the company will aid the
Government in its program to keep
down the costs of living" the petit
ton charged.
Inequalities Charged.
Thousands of Government EN-.
ployes living in the adjacent Vir-
ginia and Maryland communities
are compelled to pay double fares
to their place of employment in the
District" the petition claimed.
Thousands of Government en-
ployes living within the District are
compelled to pay inequitable fares
to Government buildings located
| just outside the District.
For example, employees of Gov
ernment agencies in Suitland, Md,
living within the District are not
| permitted to obtain a transfer to the
w. M. e. A. Lines running to Suit
land from the terminus of the
Capital Transit Co. at Seventeenth
and Pennsylvania avenue Sc if they
present their weekly pass, but are
required to pay either 10-cent cash
fare or token in order to obtain
transfer to the w. NJ & A. Lines
to travel to Suitland, and to pay an
additional cents with the transfer
of the W. M. & A. Lines"
The petition also charged that the
earnings of the company in 1912
and 1943 were in excess "of a fair
and reasonable return upon the
/ present fair value of its property. "
Earnings Cited.
! Concerning the company earnings
last year the petition had this tc
i. say:
, During 1943, according to the
, company's reports to this commits
sion, its revenues were $27 7918, ,l34
. compared to $24 ,O45 1868 during 1912:
its net income before Federal income
and excess profit taxes as accrued
(but not necessarily as paid was
Sc, l31 1856 or at rate of approx
mately 20 per cent in 1e43 and Is
per cent in 1912
Since the statute which governs
the powers and duties of the COM
mission provides that all charges
shall be just and reasonable, and
that every unreasonable rate is un-
lawful and prohibited. the commits
sion should, on the basis of the earn
ings set forth above, cause this
matter to be heard at an early date,
and issue a temporary or immediate
order which would remove such un-
reasonable rates as required by the
statute"
If no order is issued in regard to
the transfer between the local
transit company and the w. M. g. A
line, the petition suggested as IAN
alternative" that the PUG "ask the
Interstate Commerce Commission
for a joint hearing for the purpose
OF bringing about such adjustment
in the fares in other companies"