Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-08
Not the Districts Affair.

| AnCtner secret conference mas Deen
held between representatives of the
Treasury Department, the District
government and the ownership OF the
Mount Vernon, Alexandria and Wash
ington Railroad and later conferences
have been arranged in the negotiations
over removing the railroad tracks from
the Mall so that the Government build
! ing program, already delayed, may go
as to the nature Of the negotiations
or the formula for the amicable agree
ment for which the Treasury officials
hope. The general proposition seems
to be, however, that the railroad will
pick up its tracks and get out Of the
way, provided the price Is right. One
of the chief obstacles to an agreement
now Is that the Federal Government
has no money to reimburse the railroad
for loss of its property and privileges.
| It is limited that the railroad may re-
move a part Of its tracks now and
await congressional action on bill to
compensate it for losses sustained be-
fore deciding on its final course. There
! is also involved a petition for In
junction, to be pressed by the railroad
If an agreement Is impossible.
The final settlement Of the problem
lies primarily between the railroad and
the Federal Government. The skilled
lawyers on both sides are capable OF
taking the action that will be fair to
everybody.
One continues to wonder, however,
] how the municipal government can be
involved in the proceedings and why,
instead of combining the negotiations to
the two parties chiefly concerned, the
local government continues to be q
third party, thus denoting that it may
be called upon to participate in any
financial settlement that may be made
| The link between the municipal gov
eminent and the proceedings is formed
of course, by the Public Utilities Com
mission. The commission has declined
to grant the railroad another terminal
site In the congested downtown section
of washington, which, according to the
railroad, is necessary If 1t continues to
do business. If the railroad is fore I'd
out Of the congested district, it seems to
feel that 1t must abandon its line. And
to abandon its line, 1t feels that COM
pensation is due.
+, But why Is the change OF terminals
necessary in the first place? Because
Of the Federal building program. Why
cannot another terminal site be granted
near Pennsylvania avenue? Because OF
the Federal building program.
The taxpayers Of the District OF Co
lumbia are not in the least concerned
over whether the railroad. owned by
foreign interests and operated as
moneymaking venture, gains or loses
as a result of the Federal building pro-
gram. Their Public Utilities Commits
sion has offered the railroad terminal
site near Water street. The attitude
of the District should be that the rail-
road can take 1t or leave 1t. ANY
thought that the District should In
any manner participate in financial
settlement with the railroad is ridicu-
lous.
It is to be trusted that no commit
ments are being made by representa-
tives of the District government, par
ticipating in the negotiations, as to
what the District would be willing to
do in the way Of financial settlements
II the railroad will kindly consent to
get out Of town SO that the Federal
building program may proceed.