Evening star., 1932-02-18
URGE COOPERATION
ON TRANSIT ISSUES
Speakers at Transportation
Club Dinner Optimistic :
on Rail Situation.

The necessity for co-ordinated ac-
ton by transportation agencies as a
whole, in the interest of both public
and carrier, was emphasized, and an
optimistic view of the railroad Situa-
tion voiced last, night by speakers from
Government and industry, at the tWen-
ty-sixth annual dinner of the WASH
ington Transportation Club at the
Raleigh Hotel.
Along with the review of the national
transportation situation, given in
series of 5-minute talks, was a brief
discussion of the local situation, with
a spokesman for the street railways
arguing against unregulated competl-
tion.
Approximately 200 guests attended
the dinner. The keynote of co-opera-
marks of Charles H. Bates, president OF
the club, who is counsel for the South
ern Pacific and Union Pacific lines.
Calling attention to the fact that the
club draws its membership from both
carriers and shippers, Mr.. Bates de-
clared this principle of combined action
must be carried out in the field of ma
tional transportation, if that Is to
prosper.
Porter Asks "Best Thought
The need for coordination also was
stressed by Chairman Claude r. Por-
ter of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, who called on the transporta-
ton men to give their best thought"
to the problem.
II seriously doubt" Chairman Porter
said, whether or not the people Of
this country fully realize what is taking
place in the field of transportation.
To-day we have five great competing
forms of transportation: steam and
electric lines, airplanes, busses and
trucks, waterways and pipe lines. There
must be a proper coordination OF all
these" he added.
A favorable view Of the railroad
situation was taken by Arthur B.
Chaplin, treasurer of the Railroad Credit
Corporation, and F. S. McGinnis of
San Francisco. vice president of the
Southern Pacific.
Mr.. Chaplin described the operations
Of his organization, created to admin
Aster the fund set up under the recently
granted freight rate increase for loans
to needy carriers, and explained how
assistance also was being obtained
through the Reconstruction Finance
Corporation.
There is feeling all over the coun-
try that the brains of the railroads
and the finances of the Government
are combining to solve the difficulties
of the carriers" he said.
Mr. McGinnis, who came from the
Coast to attend the dinner, described
sentiment in the West as Optimistic"
The local transportation issue was
raised by S. r. Bowen, vice president
and counsel of the Washington Rail-
way & Electric Co.. who declared at the
outset that he knows "of no other
agency that has done more to build up
Washington than the street railways" ;"
He asked if it was fair" to regulate
street railways and then allow an un-
regulated competitor r-taXicabs-to in
jure their business?
Subway System Urged.
Bowen said he was talking to "our
friends at the District Building" turn
ing to Commissioner Crosby and Act
ing Engineer Commissioner Dawson,
who sat beside him. When Gen.
Crosby arose to speak, he expressed the
opinion that you are not going to
have your traffic problem solved until
you put your trolley cars underground "
He declared that central garages,
such as have been suggested, will not
meet the situation, which he said, calls
for rapid transportation from the
downtown area to the outlying districts.
He said that unless subway trans
portation was employed here "some-
body is going to be very much
ashamed" in the next 10 or Is years
because this was not done
George W. Offutt, president Of the
Board of Trade, touched briefly on
business conditions here and the stabil-