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Show 12 THE SEARCHLIGHT Ballif to Leave Public Service Commission Friends of genuine regulation of utilities regret the decision of George S. Ballif, chairman of the Public Service Commission to leave the Commission. Mr. Ballif will resume the practice of law at Provo Mr. Ballif and about August his associates in Ist. the Com- mission, Osear W. Carlson and Donald Hacking, have done an excellent job. Under their leadership regulation of utilities in Utah has ceased to be a farce. on the part the Commission and its counsel, Clinton Vernon, to tackle the telephone company and order a revision of discriminatory rates. And it required even greater courage and devotion to the public interest to brmg Utah Power & Light Company to the snubbing post. As chairman of the Commission, Mr. Ballif played a leading role in both cases. The Searchlight wishes him well in his future un- Cannon, formerly chief herder in the Company Union at Magna and Arthur, is now a carpenter foreman. He used to be, and may still be a member of the Carpenters’ Union. Recently Ed has been in frequent consultation with AFL sub-leaders in the Magna-Arthur There are many reports that Ed is area. trying to herd the Company Union into the AFL. And Ed Cannon is Doug Moftat’s righthand labor fixer. we In the meantime Ray Wilson, business agent of the Boilermakers Union, AFL has been in the Magna and Arthur mills trying to recruit members for the AFL. No union organizer mitted to enter of at least is supposed the mills. Any to be per- entering person The Searchlight has a ree- must have a pass. ord A sueeessor to Mr. Ballif is to be in the near future. It is to be hoped ernor will name a man with the highest eations—a man who will continue the selected the Govqualifipolicies of Mr. Ballif. The appointment is one portant within the gift of two visits. by Wilson to and political of the most imthe State. Geo- considerations should have little weight in filling the vacancy. The qualifications of the individual and his experience and viewpoints are the vital considerations. The appointment of a successor to Mr. Bal- lif will be looked upon as the acid test, indicating whether His Excellency has actually broken his relations with Gus P. Backman and by represented forees the including Gus, the utilities. mills. It Looks Like Conniving Ed to be an graphical It required courage and vision of D. dertakings. He has proven himself excellent and faithful public official. the It all adds up to a virtual certainty that Utah Copper is now conniving with its Company Union and a few misguided AFL agents to throw the Snipe Hunt into the AFL in such numbers that it may poison the efforts of employees to obtain genuine collective bargaining, should win a substan- particularly if the AFL tial number of bargaining units. Its Time For a Wreath (Continued action has been taken drag without often from page 11) Things like that on it. a vigorous bargaining agency to keep them moving. And so far as the Company cerned, it’s about time that Union some leading citizen laid a wreath on the all but forgotten Snipe Hunt. the is conpatriotic tomb of The Searchlight forecastsa reduction in electric power and light rates aggregating $1,600,000 in the territory of Utah Power & Light Company in Utah. (Stcry on pages 6-7.) |