Evening Star Newspaper, March 14, 1935, Page 64

D-12 HOLDING FIRM ACT EFFECT SEEN HERE Two D. C. Utilities Likely to Feel Plan Recommended by Roosevelt. Enactment of President Roosevelt’s plan for dissolution or control of pub- lic utility holding corporations would cause an upset in the control main- tained now over the destinies of at least two of the District utilities. This was the belief today of one local public official concerned with regulation in the utility field here. The expectation of an upset is based upon the presumption that such an act could be applied here effectively. The point is regarded as important, since all major utilities here now are under direction of utilities “giants,” despite the old La Follette “anti-merger” law forbidding foreign control.” While all details of the President’s objectives have not become clear as vet in the minds of local officials, it appeared to some today the Washing- ton and Georgetown Gas Light com- panies and the Potomac Electric Power Co. would be definitely af- fected in so far as concerns their re- lation to parent companies. Existence Not Affected The existence of the local operat- ing companies, however, would not be affected, in the opinion of William A. Roberts, people's counsel. A glance at utility records here to- day discloses: That the gas companies are owned %8 per cent by the Washington & Suburban Companies, a Massachusetts common law trust, which represents Chase National Bank and associated *“foreign” financial interests; That the Potomac Electric Power Co. is owned outright by the Wash- ington Railway & Electric Co., which in turn is controlled by the North American Co., one of the giant utility holding companies; That the Chesapeake & Potomac *Telephone Co. is owned outright by its parent company, the American Tele- phone & Telegraph Co.; That the North American Co. now owns about 58 per cent, directly or indirectly, of the capital stock of the new merged street railway concern here, the Capital Transit Co.; Wilson Estate Owns Busses. That the principal local bus com- pany, the Washington Rapid Transit Co., is owned by the estate of Harley P. Wilson, who bought it from the North American Co. at a time when he was a director in that holding company. From the title and other terms of the President’s holding company bill, as recently written, it appeared today to local utilities lawyers that the move for dissolution of holding companies would not affect the telephone or rail- ‘ways companies. The title states the purpose of the act to be for control of utility holding companies and “to regulate the trans- mission and sale of elecfrical energy and natural gas in interstate and for- eign companies.” The gas company would be affected, because of its ownership by the for- eign financial interests, it is believed by observers, and the Washington Gas Light Co., which owns the Georgetown Gas Light Co., would be itself affected to some degree because it is a “hold- ing company” in its own right by ownership, indirectly of the Rosslyn Gas Co. and through transmission of natural gas to thg District, according to Roberts. Buy Natural Gas. The local gas companies buy natural gas for transmission from the Maryland Gas Transmission Co., a subsidiary of the Columbia Gas and Electric Co., a holding concern. Re- ports are that 38 per cent of the gas sold by the local companies is natural gas. The Washington Railway & Electric Co. also was described today as a holding company, since it owns, through the Washington & Rockville Railroad Co., the Braddock Heights Light and Power Co., Inc. District officials have been struggling with foreign ownership for some years. ‘When the Public Utilities Commis- sion act was adopted in 1913, an amendment was added at the instance of Senator La Follette, sr., forbidding any foreign or local holding company from controlling or holding directly or indirectly more than 10 per cent of the stock of District utilities. There have been several issues re- sulting from this law, with but partial success won by Commission officials. After extended investigation by Roberts, then assistant corporation counsel, the Public Utilities Commis- sion found in 1932 that the gas com- panies were owned and controlled by foreign holding company interests and ordered this dissolved. The order was sustained in District Supreme Court in December, 1932, and the case has been kept open on the court docket. The result was the transfer of stock ownership to the Washington and Suburban companies, Massachusetts common law trust. The La Follette anti-merger law did not list such a “trust” among holding companies which were barred from control of local utilities and Commission officials therefore accepted this status. Take lClre Don't let poor vision hamper your prog- Tess. If your eyes are weak or have been giving you trouble Consult Our Optometrist For an Eye Examination M. A. LEESE Optical Co. 614 9th St. N.W. 2,240 Pounds to the Ton Blue Ridge Va. Hard Stove Coal, $11.25 Special Furna Size. $10.25 Nut. $11.25 Pea. §8.15 Exs. $11.25 Buckwheat, $7.00 Rice, $6.25 Smokeless E. Bituminous Ceal Soet, 80% Lu Blue Egg, $ Hard-Structure Pa,_Bitw Makes Only Thin White 75% Lump Coal, $7.50 50% Lump Coal, $6.90 your coalg H ump 1t on curb. Guarantee: If you are not oleased with our coal after burning it 4 hours. we will take it back and retund your money on portion not used Over 20.000 New Customers in S ¥re. in Baltimore and Washington. There Is a Reason Why _ World's Largest Retailers of Va. Anthracite. BLUE RIDGE COAL CO. Miners of Virzinia Anthracite Hard Coal Alexandria Rd.. So. Washington Va. Me. Opposite Texaco Oil Wal. 4401 Distributing Plant 8475 Clara Bow and her husband, Rex Bell, actor, as they attend- ed the closing day at the Santa Anita race track. Miss Bow's re- covery after the birth of her son, Rex Larbow, was slower than an- ticipated, and this was one of her first appear- ances in several months, as she has been con- THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. T., THURSDAY, MARCH T4, 1935. Bow Attends Races fined to her § home under a doctor’s care. —A. P. Photo. OVEN HEAT REGU- L AT O R —Maintans the temperature desired in the oven, | - ot o MOUERT ESTATE GAS RANGES . . .. $I5 ALLOW eliminating baking cool in summer. failures. AUTOMATICTCP LIGHTING —Justturn the burner handle and the burner lights. No maiches to scra'ch or bultons to Ppress. WASHINGTON GAS LIGHT COMPANY 4 3 COMPLETE INSULA- T1O N—Keeps the heat in the oven. your kitchen APPROVED AMER- ICAN GAS ASSO- CIATION-—AI ranges carry the seal of approval of the American Gas Ass'n laboratory. complying with all requirements. .. POLIGEFORE TOTAL KOV 40100 Jobs Range From Guarding President to Inspecting Nation’s Meat. By the Associated Press. The police forces of the Federal Government, a survey of the current | | budget disclosed yesterday, have in- creased in number until they now have reached a 40,000 total. This “army” is scattered through- out the Nation and its possessions 'from the 48 who guard the White House to the 24 who police St. John | and St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. Eight Guard Money Paper. | The 40,000 guard the President and | | they inspect steamboats. They enforce | the anti-trust laws and they prevent | the spread of epidemic diseases. Eight men are employed to guard e dis- FULL PORCELAI ENAMELED —A last- ing. lustrous finish essen- tinctive paper for United sc-ml securities.” Sixty-one are on duty at the Na- tional Capitol. ‘They arrest and extinguish the Na- tion’s Dillingers and they inspect the butcher’s round of beef. The largest units include the Coast Guard, the Department of Justice's special agents, the Immigration Bor- der Patrol, the Metropolitan Police Force of the District of Columbia, the National Forest Patrol, the Steamboat Inspection Service, the Division of Meat Inspection and the Bureau of Customs Inspection. 963 U. S. Marshals. Then there are 963 United States marshals and 970 district attorneys and employes. The Canal Zone is policed by 192 special officers; the Treasury by 87 guards; the Bureau of Printing and Engraving by 84; the mint and assay offices by 55. On the Government pay roll there are 190 Indian police and 1415 to man the Government penitentiaries —_— - WHERE TO DINE. - TAKE HOME A BOX OF HATTONS FAMOUS FRIED OYSTERS 60c a Dozen Sea Food Platter. 40c 901 9th St. N.W. Et. 8385 and jails; there are 14 guards sta- tioned at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital to guard the insane charged to the care of the Federal Government. S ST, St. Patrick’s Dance to Be Given. FALLS CHURCH, Va, March 14 (Special) —A benefit St. Patrick’s day dance will be given tomorrow night at the Masonic Hall in East Falls Church by the Eastern Star Order. Virginia Couple Licensed. FAIRFAX, Va., March 14 (Special). —A marriage license has been issued | here to Paul Rodney Ebert, 34, Blacksburg, Va. Capper Gibson, 21, East Falls Church. Va. White Ash HARD $ 25 COAL “Furnace Blend” 7 Get acquainted with this Hard Va. White Ash Coal. It con- sists of 3 sizes and none falls, through grates. Splendid heat. Pea, 8.35; Nut, 11.25; Stove, 11.25 i) o Walnut 8861 TRAFFIC CASE CLOSED Pennsylvanian Fined for Reckless Driving in Fatal Crash. By the Associated Press, ‘WESTMINSTER, Md.,, March 14— Manslaughter charges against Chester E. Reigle of Sunbury, Pa, in connec- tion with the death of John L. Nichol- son of New Oxford, Pa., in an auto- mobile collision January 12, have been dismissed. 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