Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-14
RESULT OF HEARING TODAY
Substitute for Works Bill Offered
by Commissioners.
BEFORE CONGRESS LAST TERM
Committee of Citizens May Abandon
Its Own Measure and Coop
crate With District Heads.

representing various citizens associa-
abandoned and residents Of the capital
asked TO support in its stead the substi-
tute measure offered last June by the
District Commissioners to the bill intro
uuced by Senator Works
After giving a two-hour hearing this
morning on the commiltee's bail the
commissioners dlScO> ereu the fact that
lne substitute measure offered ey then
at the iast sess on or Congress- mad not
i.een exaninen by all the mempcrs OF the
committee. and requestcu tnat tney
lake IL under conslaera.lun before decd
.ns to DO anything further in benaIf OF
their own measure.
Attorney Charles w. Darr, chairman Of
the COMMITTEE, tod the Comm. IS. oners
that TINS would be done and tnat he
would call a meeting of the committee
at an early date.
II we should find that your bill is ac-
ceptaOie anu covers the features tnat we
tinnn are Important, we VIII auupt !, IN
preference to our own" SAID Attorney
Darr.
rosltion Taken by Commissioners.
they ueie III iavor of universal II ansle. s,
and that tney tnougnt some means cou.d
be devised u get all the citlzenS OIL the
District behind one dill. Chairman Darr
and the nlemue,s S OF the commntiee re-
sponded that they believed th.s couid be
done. and they wound do ali in tneir
power to bring it about.
tne susoes..ou made during the
nearing that q universal transfer bill
would not be necessary If the Commis-
sloners We're given the powers of "A puDiic
service commission. Attorney Darr de-
ciared that while lie favored the creation
of a public service commission, he be-
,ieved that universal transfers could be
secured quicker by means OF n separate
bill, and that the committee wound be
sure to insist on the two propositions be-
ing handled separately.
Objections Voiced by Mr.. Wood.
The only opposition to the committee $
bill at today's hearing was voiced by ~.
e. Wood, Washington attorney. Mr.
Wood insisted that the bill was too gen
e,al in its terms and would not stand the
test IN court.
When asked by Commissioner Judson il
he had a substitute measure TO offer At
torney Wood replied that he had not
The Engineer Commissioner then in
CURED OF MIR. Wood If he We're prepared
to draw up bill, the attorney Replying
that he cou d do so, but that II would
be task requiring two weeks or more
of WORK
Besides Attorney Darr. who addressed
the Commissioners in behalf of the COM
mittee's measure. T. y. keating OF the
Rhode Island Suburban Citizens Asso-
citation and P j. Ryan, representing the
Central Labor Union, spoke IN favor of 1t.
William A. Foster. representing the
Chamber of Commerce, said that while
he was In favor of the blu he had given
his support cnly on the condition that a
sch. oil children on street railway lines
in tie District. would be drawn.
Alleged Defective Clause.
Quoting from a decision Of the Dis
trict Court of Appeals in constituting the
bucket-shop act, Mr.. Wood attempted to
point out & defect in the bill with re-
spect to the clause providing punishment
for failure to comply with it's provisions.
The Court of Appeals. he said, in de-
fining the requisite OF a penal statute,
held that the form employed must be
intelligible to an ordinary individual
Now. lie said. applying this def
milton to the draft bill before us. let us
see whether an ordinary individual. after
reading 1t. would know what he must dc
and must not do If he were conductor
In order not to violate the act and sub
| ,ect himself to not less than $50 fine
or one month In jail.
THE first thing you will notice in the
| first paragraph of the bill Is that the
/ paragraph does not contain word to in
dicatc that the transfers provided fol
shall only be demanded by a passenger
| or one who has pad for his fare. Ac-
cording to the language used, such trans.
| fers are not only to be issued free tc
but it may be demanded OF any officer
or agent or employe at all times, anG
| the emplo,e be he motorman or car clean
er, must go to jail for month IL he
5, fails to issue them. as demanded.
/ Penalty Provision Defended.
| Replying 10 this argument. Attorney
Darr said that the committee, after max
| ng a thorough study OF the matter. had
| decided that the form OF lcnalty pro
vided would be the most effective mean.
trat could be adopted to insure tn.
| act being complied with by the railway
companies.
| The railway companies, he said. would
| have a hard time compelling their con
1 ductors to refuse TO issue transfers
/ fter they had been halei into court ant
| sred, especially If the conductors wer,
! forced 10 pay the fines out Of their owl
I pockets
i Attorney W.od said he represented n.
! companies or associations. but that h
+, was Interested in the subject of universe
transfers and believed that the metho,
for secu ing them adopted by the com
mittee was not practical. He declare,
that he is in favor of regulated rathe
| than universal transfers.
i The various objections outlined by MI
Wood were answ cred in detail by Attor
ney Oar. and aIr. Heating The forme
said that II the railway companies shoul'
| insist that the proposed legislation woul'
| work a financial hardship on them Con
gress could demand to see their book
and determine for itself whether or no
such would be the case.
II is not up to the Commissioners or an
others interested in securing universe
transfers, he said. to anticipate that tn
railway companies would object to tn
hill on the grounds that II would impos
an unreasonable burden upon them.
] Committee to Meet.
1t was on the motion OF COMMISSIONS
Rudolph that the hearing finally came I
a close with the understanding that u
committee would hold another meetin
Y