Evening star., 1932-04-06
TAX|CAB SITUATION
TO Be CONSIDERED
ATPUBL|C HEARING
House District Committee
Calls Special Session for
Tomorrow Night.
RELATIONSHIP TO MERGER
PLANS WILL BE TAKEN UP
Mrs. Norton Would Divorce Two
Problems by Specific Provision
in Pending Bill.


with its relationship to the proposed
merger of transportation facilities and
the recent order of the Public Utilities
Commission requiring meters to be in
stalled in all taXicabs, will be considered
at a special meeting of the House District
Committee tomorrow night at O'Clock
BY agreement at the meeting OF the
committee today. this special session to-
morrow night will be open to the public
Members of the Public Utilities Com.
mission, w. A. Roberts, special counsel
for the commission, and representatives
of the independent taxicab companies
have been invited by Chairman Norton
of the District Committee to be present
and testify.
In order to divorce the taxicab prob
lem from the street railway merger,
Mrs. Norton will seek to have the
merger bill so restrictive in its pro-
visions as to specifically eliminate the
operation of taxicabS from the powers
OF the merged company. If this Clarity
ing action is taken, she and other
members of the committee, as well as
District officials, feel that progress on
the merger can be expedited, allowing
the taxicab problem to be settled sep
arately.
May Withdraw Powers.
In answer to the question what Con-
eress can do to prevent the Public
Utilities Commission from carrying out
its order to put meters into taxicabS.
1t was suggested today to members OF
the House District Committee that they
might pass separate legislation with
drawing from the Public Utilities Com
mission any jurisdiction in the liking
l. ~ xrTnC
Chairman Norton that some such leg
islative proposal is being considered,
aside from the announced determina-
ton of Representative Blanton, Demo-
crat, of Texas. to have the salary OF
Gen. Mason M. Patrick, chairman OF
the Public Utilities Commission, with
held.
The taxicab question came up in the
committee, when Mrs Norton pre-
sented the letter received yesterday
from Gen. Patrick regarding the order
to install meters and asked that the
members of the committee hear Mr..
Roberts as special counsel.
Both Representative Black, chairman
of the Public Utilities Subcommittee
and Representative Gilbert of Kentucky
a member of that subcommittee. who
for a number of years have been close
students of the proposed merger, en-
phasized that the taxicab problem ano
the merger question are closely related
and that some determination regarding
the taxicabs should be reached before
the merger is acted upon.
Cab Operation Problem.
Mr.. Black explained that the street
railway companies are urging Tor early
action on the merger because the cheap
taxicabs are hurting the street railways
in their finances. He argued that II
through a compelling order of the Pub
lie Utilities Commission, meters are re-
ouired to be installed in all taxicabs
the cheap-competition cabs viii be
driven off the streets, and with author
ity to engage in all methods OF trans
portation the proposed merged COM
pany would be in an entirely different
position than the street railways are at
present. He insisted that this matter
should be cleaned up before any action
on the merger measure should be re-
ported.
Mr.. Roberts assured the members OF
the committee that there is general
feeling that the proposed merger should
specifically eliminate the merged COM
panieS from operating taxicabs. Evan
II. Tucker, president OF the Northeast
Citizens Association, also emphasized
that this is an important contention OF
District citizens.
Contending that the street railway
merger plan as reported by the major
ity of the Senate District Committee
is not equitable to the public, Senators
Capper of Kansas and Blaine OF Wis
consin late yesterday filed a minority
report urging the Senate to rewrite the
power clause, broaden the free transfer
provision, change the court procedure
in reviewing utility matters and insert
several other amendments.
The minority recommends that cur
rent for the merged car system be fur
nished by the Potomac Electric Power
Co. at such reasonable rates as the
Public Utilities Commission may fix.
As the resolution now stands the COM
mission would have control over only 81
per cent of the power to be furnished
the car system. while So per cent would
be furnished for the next Is years on
the basis of the arrangement already
existing between the power company
and the Washington Railway & Elec-
trio Co.
Universal Free Transfers.
The majority plan would establish
free transfers between street cars, but
leaving the question of transfers from
cars to busses and between bus lines to
the discretion of the Public Utilities
Commission. The minority report con-
tains demand for universal free trans
ferS between cars and busseS, excepting
only the de luxe bus line.
The majority proposal dealing with
public utility court procedure seeks to
place the determination of questions OF
fact in utility cases entirely In the hands
of the utilities commission, leaving the
courts to pass on constitutional and
legal questions. The minority contends
the commission is equipped to perform
administrative functions, while the
courts are not so equipped.
Other amendments deemed essential
by Senators Capper and Blaine include
the following: provision to prevent
the new company from operating
through subsidiaries within the limits
of the District. but allowing it the op-
ton of carrying on operations either
directly or through subsidiaries in ad-
Sacent States; authority for the COM
mission to require the abandonment
of property necessary to improve service
or bring about economies. and a modi'
f1cation of the repeater clause.
Price Held Too Great.
"The public is, in principle, in favol
Of a merger of the local street railways
but the price exacted by the resolution
Is too great" the minority report began
In explaining their opposition to tht
power clause continuing the present ar
rangement between the Potomac Elec'
tric Power Co. and the Washington
Railway & Electric Co. which woulc
apply to SO per cent Of the current o.
the merged car system for the next i
years. the minority stated:
while 1t would appear that tn
Washington Railway 81 Electric Co
the Capital Traction Co. and the Wash