Evening star., 1932-04-26
Another Effort to Enact
Measure viii Be Made
on May g.
BLANT0N AND BOWMAN
CLASH DURING DEBATE
Texans Effort to Kill Legislation
Entirely Is Defeated-0ne
Amendment Voted.

Bitter opposition by those who for
years have fought against the street
railway and bus line merger bill baked
the efforts of Chairman Norton and
other members of the House District
Committee to rush it through the
House yesterday. Another effort to
pass the bill will be made on the next
District day-May 9.
Mrs. Norton hurried back from Bos-
ton and Representative Black, chair
man of the subcommittee which con-
Quoted hearings on the bill, returned
from New York, expecting little diff
Guilty in getting the bill passed in prac-
tically the same form in which it was
sent to Congress by the District Com
miSsioners. However, they ran into a
veritable barrage of objection.
Representative Blanton, Democrat, of
Texas and Representative Gibson, Re-
publican, of Vermont, who, with Rep
resentative Gilbert, Democrat, of Ken
tucky had defeated the last previous
effort to legalize a traction merger, led
the fight again.
Blanton charged 1.-The bill was writ
ten by the street railways" He and
Representative Bowman, Republican. of
West Virginia almost came to blowG
and indulged in bitter recrimination.
Blanton and Bowman Clash.
Blanton accused Bowman of being a
friend" to the railways to such an ex-
tent that he had to call him down. in
committee repeatedly. Bowman de-
nounced Blanton and declared "every
word he said is untrue" He protested
that he has been "a better friend to
the District" and this brought Mrs
Norton to his defense, with the as
surance that Mr.. Bowman has always
been a valuable member of her COM
mittee.
Before the bill was laid aside. one
amendment was approved. This would
require the merged company to pay
one-half the cost of paving between
tracks and feet outside the tracks. The
committee bill had reduced the cost to
the company from threefourthS of the
cost as now assessed, against the COM
panies to one-fourth of the cost for
paving.
Blanton sought to kill the bill entire
ly by motion to strike out the enact
ing clause, but this was defeated. Two
attempts were made by the Texan to
provide for a scent fare, one of which
was lost on a point of order and the
other was voted down.
Representative La Guardia of New
York offered an amendment to exclude
the proposed merged company from
operation of bus lines, but this was
voted down.
Representative Stafford of Wisconsin
fought vigorously against relieving the
merged company Of paving costs, insist
inn hn y-fl
ment should be maintained. However,
he accepted the compromise of Repre-
sentative Gilbert to split the difference
and make the rate one-half.
Simmons in Opposition.
Representative Simmons, Republican,
OF Nebraska a member of the subcom-
mittee on District appropriations, pro-
tested that the bill before the House
''unloaded more of burden on the Dis
trict taxpayers than all the benefits re-
ceived from recent reductions in gas
rates"
Bowman pictured the traction COM
panies as in financially desperate cir
cumStances" due to decreased passenger
revenue, while Blanton quoted other
statistics to show the stocks of both
companies had steadily increased over
a period Of years.
Much of Blanton's time was con-
sumed in an attack on Maj. Gen. Ma
son M. Patrick, chairman of the Public
Utilities Commission, whom he charged
SIS more interested in looking after
the welfare Of corporate interests than
protection for the public"
Representative Glover, Democrat, of
Arkansas, assailed "monopolistic fea-
lures" of the merger proposal.
Minority Leader Smell and former
House Leader Tilson endeavored to aid
the House District Committee in get
ting the bill passed, but were unsuc-
cessful.