Evening star., 1932-12-06
Says Eight" on Reduction
Tends to Defeat Compul-
sorry Attendance Law.
DECREASE IN REVENUES
BLAMED ON COMPANIES
House Member Thinks Scent Rate
Should Be Condition to Carry
ing Out Merger.

Washington street railway and bus
companies were criticized today by Rep
resentative Mary T. Norton, chairman
Of the House District Committee, Tor
what she called an attempt 20 vitiate
the act of Congress provi&ing for re-
duced fares for school children" She
emphasized that if tneir determined
fight in this direction is successful. in
this period Of extraordinary economic
distress, it will tend to defeat the COM
pulsory school ol-attendance law, and that
"the youth of the city will be deprived
of one of the greatest gifts the munich
pality has to offer-an education"
In prepared statement issued today,
Mrs. Norton said:
"I am not a little surprised at the
attitude taken by local street railway
and bus companies with respect to the
matter of reduced fares for school chill
dren. The determined fight of these
transportation agencies to defeat the
express and apparent will of Congress
Is q matter of grave concern, especially
In times of extraordinary economic
stress, such as we are now experiencing.
Not only is the attack of these COM
panies contrary to the almost unani-
nous will of Congress, but its ultimate
CA4CSO, IL SUCCESSFUL WILL ICA1d W 0C4Cdb
another act of Congress that has been
q law in the District of Columbia since
1925. refer to the compulsory school
attendance law. With the reduced car
fare measure no longer, in effect
parents in financial distress who live a
long distance from schools, will be
unable to pay for transportation to and
from such schools, and thus the youth
Of the city will be deprived of one of
the greatest gifts the municipality has
to oher-an education.
Hcuse Action Called Vital
''The merger bill, as passed by the
House of Representatives, does not deal
with the matter Of reduced fares for
s,hool children. The House was silent
with respect to this matter, not due to
Lack of interest, but purely on the
s 1and that Congress assumed that the
en- 3anie5 would recognize its mandate
Ic>. ring transportation of school chill
LTc-l at rate not in excess of cents.
i-nce enactment of the merger by the
---u5e the companies have seen fit to
tc rely defy its reduced fare mandate
- the ccurts of the District of Co
l-t---5ia. This procedure makes it vital
In / the House take steps to make an
r-l4es to a reduced fare for school
onildren, condition precedent to ac-
tual consunmation of the merger.
There is no denying the fact that
local transportation conditions are
chaotic. The companies are losing
money. The contention, however, that
reduced fares for school children is
responsible for these financial losses is
ridiculous. The loss In revenue due to
reduced school fares is insignificant.
The chief reason for the loss in revenue
is occasioned because of the fact that
the public will not make use of the
facilities offered by local transportation
companies. Many residents of the Dis
trict will not pay 10 cents for riding the
length of F street, or from Pennsyl-
vania avenue near the Willard Hotel to
the Capitol, or other equally short dis
tances.
Suggestions Declared Ignored.
Suggestion have been made to the
companies that they reduce prices for
such short trips. These suggestions have
been disregarded. What can one do for
public utility that needs help. but will
not take steps to help itself? What can
one do for company or companies,
that instead Of seeking to obtain the
riding public's confidence persists in
steps to antagonize that public?
Congress, local authorities and the
public generally have not been unkind
or unsympathetic toward local transpor
tation agencies. Requests for increased
fares have not been ignored and the
merger bill in its present form cannot
be construed to be in any sense oppres-
siye to them worked hard during
the past session for the passage Of the
merger bill. believe it would be a
start in the right direction toward
ameliorating present unsatisfactory
transportation conditions in the District
of Columbia, but you may put me on
record as expressing profound dissatis-
faction at the attempt now underfoot
to vitiate the act of Congress providing
for reduced fares for school children"