Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-01-24
Nobody Is Pleased

After 10 months of elaboration, the District
Public Utilities Commission has produced
fare-increase order that will please no one. This
is not surprising, since any increase always is
resented by the average transit rider and any
fare rate under that proposed by the Capital
Transit Company always disappoints the COM
pany. The average rider will find it hard to
swallow the bitter medicine of a 20-cent cash
fare, a Decent token and an extra-charge
weekly permit during a period of lush dvi-
dend payments to company stockholders. He
is inclined to brush aside the fact that current
fares bear no relation whatever to recent melon
splitting policies of the WolfSon management.
The commission, under the law, had to con-
slider the present earning capacity OF company
whose patronage has been falling off alarmingly
since World War II. It found that the 17-cent
cash fare the 15-cent token and the $40
weekly pass were not producing fair return
on the invested capital 1t recognized that
without fair return, private ownership could
not survive and that the alternative of public
ownership is something to be avoided if humanity
possible Already the Wolfson group is talking
of it's willingness to pull out in favor of
public operating authority, unless it can be
assured of continuing profits
And already the company is talking OF
applying for still another fare increase. Its
president served notice to this effect recently in
testimony before the Payne Subcommittee-even
before the commission had reached decision
on last April's petition. Mr.. Broadwater made
1t plain that even if this petition brought an
increase still higher fares would be sought. The
trouble with further fare increases, however, is
that they bring ever closer the point OF no
returns" AS fares go up, patronage inevitably
goes down. The new 20-cent fare Is certain to
drive many transit customers to other modes
of tranSportation-private cars and tax1cabS
Experience here and in other cities has shown
this to be true. And as the use ct private cars
increases so does the traffic congestion in the
downtown section-further slowing up mass
transportation and hence causing further loss
of transit patronage. 1t is diScouraging cycle.
The commission, in its lengthy report,
depressed from the main theme to comment
on high salaries of transit officials but held
that the salary item did not sufficiently af1ect
the rate structure as to warrant detailed dis
cussion at this time It noted, however, that
Board Chairman Louis Wolfson'S pay was raised
from $4,000 to $4,000 coincident with his decl-
sion to move back to Miami, Florida The COM
mission also went rather far afield from the
fare problem to take crack at the failure OF
the company to employ Negroes as streetcar or
bus operators This is labor relations problem
involving the company and a union which
favors al-white operation Such a problem is
too complex for settlement in fare-rate
proceeding.
The commissions report adds to the accumu-
lating evidence that WaShington's transit sys-
tenn is seriously sick and that there is as yet no
known cure-all for what ails it. The latest fare
raise is Just a bit of first aid to prolong an
uncertain life If the Senate investigation of
transit troubles is able to find a remedy that
holds real hope of recovery, it will have accom-
pliShed a real miracle.