Evening star., 1932-02-04
HAM BACKS RIGHT
TO OPERATE CABS
Opposes Steps by Congress
to Bar Any Form of Trans
portation.

Although the Washington Railway 81
Electric Co. Is not contemplating the
operation OF taxicabs at this time, Will
liam F. Ham, president, told the Public
Utilities Subcommittee of the House
District Committee today, he personally
did not believe Congress should take
steps to prevent the transit companies
from engaging in any form Of public
transportation.
Mr.. Ham was one OF half dozen
witnesses who testified at hearing on
the joint resolution authorizing a
merger Of the District transit properties
Earlier in the hearing, Mai Gen. Mason
M. Patrick, chairman Of the Public
Utilities Commission, had proposed an
amendment to the merger bill designed
to restrict the consolidated company's
activities TO the operation of street cars
and motor busses.
The committee will hold another
hearing on the merger bill Tuesday
morning at 1890 o'clock At that time
it will hear Richmond B. Keech,
peoples counsel, before the Public
Utilities Commission, and William NICK
Clayton, chairman Of the Public Utilities
Committee of the Federation OF Citizens
Associations.
Bus Lines Make Appeal.
Amendments to preclude the consoli-
dated company from operating sight
seeing busses were urged by representa-
tiveS Of privately owned sightseeing
lines.
Conrad H. Syme, former corporation
counsel Of the District. representing
the Blue and Gray sightseeing lines.
and Lawrence GasSenheimer, president
Of the Green Line. charged the car
companies had made serious inroads
into the regular sightseeing business
and were undertaking them on con-
tract sightseeing tours. Syme said the
merger bill should be framed SO the
car companies would be prevented from
destroying the privately owned sight
seeing business which represents an in
vestment Of approximately s750000.
Hanna Explains Business.
John H. Hanna, president Of the
Capital Traction Co, told the commit
tee there Is a marked distinction be-
tween the sightseeing business and the
chartered bus business, in which his
company is engaged. He said his
company is doing profitable char
tered bus business the returns from
these operations last year amounting
TO $l05,000
We do chartered bus business and
actively solicit such business" Mr.
Hanna declared The practice Of our
company is to make contracts with
groups coming to Washington to take
them on sightseeing trips To that ex-
tent we are in the sightseeing business
But We don't have sightseeing bus
stands, and we don't run over prescribed
routes like regular sightseeing busses"
d. c. Heads Delay Report.
At the outset Of the hearing Rep
resentative Black of New York. chair
man Of the subcommittee. announced
he had received message from Cor
poration Counsel William w. Bride.
stating that the District Commissioners
would be unable TO submit their re-
port on the merger bill until It had
been passed upon by the Budget Bu-
reau. Mr.. Bride asked the committee
to defer its report until 1t had the
views of the Commissioners
Gen. Patrick submitted several pro-
posed amendments One is designed to
prevent the consolidated company from
appealing from any reasonable rate of
fare fixed by the commission for school
children.
ANticPakt GtopocSs hUtcnuUfcut.
Another proposed amendment was
urged by Thomas P Littlepage, repre-
senting the Washington, Baltimore g.
Annapolis Electric Line. He said his
amendn ent would give the Public Utili-
ties Commission the power TO review
the existing contract between the Bal
timore line and the Washington Rail
way & Electric Co., relating to the use
of the Washington Railway & Electric
Co. rails in the District. to determine
whether it Is reasonable. Under the
existing contract, he pointed out, the
Baltimore line pays the Washington
Railway & Electric Co. the regular
statutory fare for passengers it carries
in the District
The Washington Railway g. Electric
Co. objected to this proposed amend
ment on the ground that IT is not ger
name to the pending merger legislation.