The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-09-21
SENATORS
: DISMISS
PLEAS
VAIN

Protests OF Senator's and
Representatives and a flood OF
motions for dismissal of the
ease at the resumption OF
Street car fare hearings before
the Public Utilities Commits
sion today failed to stop the
commission s steamroller, as 1T
rolled on toward higher fares
for Washington s straphangers.
Obiectians and motions for. dis
missal occupied the better part OF
the. first hour of the hearing, and
: the Voice OF Chairman John w.
: Childress of the commission be-
came ni0notonous as it recorded
DECISIONS Dverruling the motions. .
Hignlights of the sensational
hearing follow:
Mer.er G.. Johnston, director Of
the Peoples Legislative Service, pre-
scented kilograms and letters from
nine Senators and one Representa-
tive, vigorously protesting against
the proposed Increase in fare while
/. the traction merger plan is before
Congress
Boycott Threatened
IS. A resolution was presented by
Charles NJ. Galloway. counsel for the
League OF the American Civil Ser
vice, threatening a boycott of street
cars by Government employees If
the higher fare Ii granted and ask
Ing fOr dismissal nf the case.
william Mex. Clayton, chairman
Of the Public Utilities Committee,
Of the Federation of Citizens As
sociations. made three separate mo-
tons, asking for dismissal of the
case, all of which were overruled,
one of them before he h;< even
finished making his point.
A resolution from Clayton's COM
mittee, strenuously opposing the in
crease in fares and asking for dis.
missal of the ease. was presented by
William A. Roberts. vice chairman
Of the committee
In addition to these objections,
the commission continued with the
hearing without ruling on the
motion for dismissal made just be.
fore the hearing adjourned last week
by Peoples Counsel Ralph B.
Flehafty.
Protests Like Air
A total Of IL Senator'S and one
Representative have now fled
formal protests with the commits
sion over the proposal to increase
car fares. Those whose protests
were filed today include Senators
Wheeler OF Montana. Cutting OF
New Mexico. Howell of Nebraska
King oe Utah. Dill OF Washington,
Validenberg of Michigan, Harrison
OF Mississippi. Frazier of North
Dakota. Nye Of North Dakota. and
Representative Huddleston Of Ala.
barna.
Yesterday the. commission re-
ceiyed protests from Senator Arthur
Capper Of Kansas. chairman Of the
Senate District Committee. and
Senator Mcclellan of Tennessee.
These were filed in the record Of
the hearing today by Chairman
ChiIdress.
Three. Of those who have pro.
tested-Capper, Vandenberg aud
King-are members of the subcom-
mittee of the District committee ap,
pointed to investigate the merger
proposal
a rSNuSSL loE %-cSIlt bTdnSLSI
charge between it's street cars and
the Laurel bus line at Fifteenth and
Fl Streets Northeast has been filed
with the commission by the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Com.
psny.
The request is due TO the fact that
q. deficit of $3.50 was registered in
the operation of the line in the past
IL months. The transfer charge will
mean. an added annual income of
$4,000 for the line.
Opposition to the fare increase was
led by Col. W. b. Ladue, Engineer
Commissioners, and 1t does not appear
likely that the commission will grant
the application at this time.