Evening star., 1933-02-22
CAB DRIVERS URGE
METERS, COPELAND
TELLS D. c. GROUP
Taxi Controversy Brought Up
at Senate Hearing on
1884 Supply Bill.
LUMP SUM DISCUSSION
HITS SNAG AT OUTSET
Traffic Conditions Here Also Are
Aired as Van Duzer Seeks
Restoration of Cut Items.

Postponing discussion Of what the
Federal contribution should be toward
District expenses next year until the
end of the hearings, the Bingham Sub
committee on District Appropriations
in the Senate today began work on the
District appropriations bill by hearing
various local officials explain increases
they believe should be made in the
House bill
The controversy over whether taxi
cabs should be metered was referred to
briefly when Senator Copeland, Demo-
crat. OF New York. inquired for the
history of the House provision to pre-
vent the Public Utilities Commission
from ordering meters Traffic regu-
lation In Washington also occupied part
OF the first hearing in connection with
liam A. Van Duzer for the restoration
of several items reduced by the House.
Senator Copeland said all the taxi
cab operators he has talked with, num-
bering at least 100, have said they
want meters. He said his recollection
was that the expense of installing
meters was the reason for the ban when
1t was first placed in the District ap-
preparation act.
Seeking Living Wage.
Gen. Mason M. Patrick, chairman of
the Public Utilities Commission, said
he believed half of the cab opera
tors wanted meters because they are
not making a living wage under the
zone system. He was about to dis
cuss the cost Of meters. which, he said
would range between $125 and S14O per
meter, when Chairman Bingham pointed
out the taxicab question Is to be gone
into in detail tomorrow, and for that
reason the discussion ended for the
time being. During the discussion OF
traffic problems Senator Kean, Re-
publican, of New Jersey renewed his
complaint against longtime parking
on washington streets He said there
Is not only an all-night parking prob
lem, but too much "all-week parking. u
Traffic Study Favored.
Senator Grammer, Republican, of
Washington, new member of the
committee. said he would like to see a
study made of traffic problems In the
Nationa! Capital "along scientific and
practical lines, so that other cities
would be able to follow the results OBJ
tanned here from such a study.
While Senator Kean was discussing
the all-night parking problem, Senator
Byrnes, Democrat. of South Carolina,
suggested that under present conditions,
people are not able to pay to put their
cars in garages
Traffic Director Van Duzer told the
committee there are 160 intersections
where traffic lights are justified on the
basis of the traffic count standards fol-
lowed here. When it was suggested
that too many lights retard traffic, the
director said that fatal accidents do not
occur at intersections having signal
lights. He also said lights had been re-
moved from some intersections.
Push Button Plan Given.
He told the committee of plans to in
stall push-button lights for pedestrians
at the Peace Monument.
When the hearings opened Commits
sioner Reichelderfer and District Audi
tor Donovan said it would expedite the
! hearing if the general finances of the
District including the action of the
House in reducing the Federal contri-
button to $500 900, were taken up for
consideration last. Under this pro-
cedure the heads of the various di-
visions of the District government are
proceeding to explain the detailed items
they believe should be restored to the
bill.
This morning these included small
items In building inspectors Office, for
the care of the District Building and
recorder of deeds office AS passed by
the House the bill carries a total for
next year Of only $34, 1888, ,565, and In its
present form would create surplus of
more than $5,000,0o0 at the end Of the
next fiscal year.