Evening star., 1932-11-22
Civic Body Names Committee
to Obtain Companies
Views on Procedure.
D. c. TAXICAB SITUATION
DISCUSSED AT Meeting
Bankers Reported Sympathetic, but
Unwilling to Cooperate
in Foreclosures.

In an effort to assure a fair consid-
Grafton Of the traction merger problem,
the Inter-Federation Conference last
night voted to have a special sub
committee Of the Merger Committee
call upon the officials Of the Capital
Traction Co. and the Washington
Railway & Electric Co. to obtain their
views as to the logical method Of pro-
cedure. The conference also discussed
the general traffic problem and the
mortgage foreclosure situation.
The committee to call upon the
traction companies Is composed Of Col.
A. B. Barber Of Montgomery County,
George e. Sullivan Of Washington and
Robert N. Anderson Of Arlington Coun-
ty. 1t was formed upon the motion OF
Col. Barber, who expressed the opinion
that most of those interested In the
proposed merger Of the two lines are
not familiar with the actual problems
Of the two concerns.
Places Blame on Companies.
Sullivan, q member Of the Transpor-
tation Committee of the washington
Chamber of Commerce, had attributed
most Of the difficulties Of the traction
companies to their failure to provide
adequate service. II the companies had
maintained satisfactory schedules, he
declared, they would not have lost so
much money to the taxicabs. He ex-
pressed the opinion that the street car
companies had not much longer to re-
main In existence.
In defense Of the car lines, Col. Bar
ber pointed to the fact that they are
still the largest employers in Washing
ton next to he Federal Government,
and as such are deserving Of every con-
sideration. He did not agree that they
are an absolete means OF transport
tion that is doomed within the near fu-
ture. The committee will report the
result of its interviews at the Decem-
Der meeting.
Discusses Taxi Situation
A general discussion was engaged in
with respect to the taxicab situation,
Col. Barber pointing out that q survey
by the United States Chamber Of Com
merce had revealed without doubt
that the only way to control the taxicab
traffic is by having them metered, and
Sullivan again dissenting. The latter
claimed that there are many people
who will make Use Of cab when they
can be assured OF the cost who would
not risk q ride where 1t might be pos
5lUlc IOI ltIC AI1fCl W tdhC tllCll -
roundabout way In order to increase
the fare, or where the driver was un-
able to give fair estimate of the cost
Of the ride A further study of this
situation and also of the proposal for
the Federal Government to acquire the
Washington Hoover Airport by lease
for municipal airport for the District
Of Columbia was ordered.
Reports on Foreclosures.
J. II. Coxhead Of the District Of Co.
lumbia, chairman of q committee
formed to make study of the real es-
tate loan situation and to investigate
charges that many persons are losing
their homes in the metropolitan area
because Of their inability to care for
their trusts, made a preliminary report
and was instructed to bring in a formal
report at the December meeting.
Coxhead said that he had interviewed
a number Of bankers on the subject of
leniency during the present financial
crisis and found them sympathetic, but
apparently unwilling to cooperate. It
was the desire of the conference to
have some definite information as to
the number Of foreclosures and q COM
parison Of this number with those of
more prosperous years.