Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-17
TAXI REGULATION
UPHELD BY COURT
Judge Hit Rules Commission
ers Have Power to Fix
Stopping Places.

Judge Isaac r. Hit in Police Court
today upheld as constitutional the
Commissioners police regulation pro-
hibiting taxicabs from stopping or
lettering on the public streets at places
other than designated public hack
stands, except for the purpose of ad-
mitting or discharging passengers.
The test case was brought before
him following the arrest yesterday aft
ernoon of William Il. Wolfe of Ben
ming, D. c., taxicab driver, by Police
man p. L. Barnes. Upon arraignment
Attorney w. c. Fowler, representing
Wolfe, made a formal motion attack
ing the validity of the law and alleg-
ing it repugnant to the fifth amend
ment to the Constitution in that it de-
prived his client Of due process of law
as to his liberty and property.
Regulation Held "Arbitrary."
Fowler, in argument. classed the
regulation as arbitrary" and made
without right by the Commissioners.
He contended they had the right to
regulate, but not to prohibit such stop
ping or lettering by public vehicles.
He pointed out that only two public
hack stands are assigned in the down.
town section, capable of accommodat-
ing only 18 taxicabs. whereas approXi-
mately 1000 are in daily operation.
This, he contended, transgresSed the
regulatory power of the Commission
ers and became a prOhibitory matter.
Fowler also contended that discrimi-
nation was permitted and practiced by
-cs0 yHn oil
tain hotels to maintain hack stands
for certain classes of vehicles. He
termed the law "class legislation"
Assistant Corpora ton Counsel +. B.
Keech contended that the regulation
was not class legislation. and that
the matter of taxicabs outside of ho-
tells was distinct matter from the
case before the Court.
Judge Hit, in an oral opinion. stated
that he found no discrimination as
far as the public hack stands were
concerned. since the cabs of all COM
panies might occupy them: that ne
found no discrimination as far as
the law itself was concerned. since 1t
prohibited all vehicles from lettering
on the public streets.
He accordingly overruled the motion.
Attorney Fowler noted an exception
TO the ruling and announced later that
the case would be brought up on ap-
peal for test.
Drivers Here Organized
While the plans for the court test
of the rights Of Commissioners to ban
taxicabs from parking space except in
the specified public hack stands by
police regulation, were being laid last
night, a taxi drivers union was being
organized at 1905 E, with Organizer
J. Ed Toone of the American Fedora
ton of Labor presiding over meeting.
According to Toone. more than 200
applications were on file this morning
from employees of verious companies
in the District. A set of officers had
been elected by the meeting as follows:
Louis Cavaliere. president: J. A. Street,
secretary, and Harry c. Davis, treas
urer.
The taxicab union Is now ready to
function here, Toone said. Its men,
bership Is not restrictive to any en-
ployes of any company. but all work
ing taxicab drivers will be welcomed
to the ranks.
Plan Improved Conditions.
The purpose of the union will he 10
better working conditions of taXicab
drivers in the District. ToOne said, and
to seek immediate remedies for any
system in force directly affecting the
union men disadvantageously.
The Police Department. relying
upon the validity of the regulation
FOR the establishment of
hack stands for operators of public
i'm Washington. has already |
the establishment Of 202 |
such hack stands.
w. w. Bride, corporation counsel !
has rendered an opinion 10 the Com |
missioners stating that they had the |
power to regulate the parking OF taxi |
cabs and hacks on the public streets |
and indicating that the police regula- |
tion against lettering or stopping by |
taxicabs on the public streets, at a |
place other than an established public |
hack stand and for q purpose other |