Evening star., 1933-02-21
CAB METER DEBATE
D|SRUPTS SESSION
Three D. C. Delegates Leave
lnterfederation Meeting Fol-
lowing Heated Clash.

Three members Of the Federation o
Citizens Associations walked out of th
meeting of the interfederation confer
ence in huff last night after a pro
tracted argument on the contention
subject of meters for taxicabs. TIL,
local federation is unalterably opposed
to meters in cabs. Col. A. B. Barbe
of the Montgomery County Federation
endeavored to get the conference tt
favor leaving this subject to the Public
Utilities Commission, which is just a!
strongly in favor of the meters. Thi
attempt led to a heated exchange be
tween George E. Sullivan of the Dis
trict Federation and Col. Barber
Shortly before midnight Sullivan walked
out, followed by Harry NJ Stull anc
Miss Elaine Eppley, fellow delegates.
Sent Back to Counties.
Three other delegates from the Dis.
trict, James c. Yaden, Mrs. Elizabeth
Sullivan and Edwin S. Hege, remained
behind. When the meeting finally ad.
journed shortly before l o'clock this
morning, the conference had voted te
refer the matter of taximeters back tt
the Arlington and Montgomery County
federations for instructions. This was
what, in effect, the District delegates
wanted. since it will be impossible fol
the conference to receive reports from
these two bodies in time for action
before the Senate passes on the clause
in the appropriations bill as passed by
the House forbidding the use Of ap-
propriated funds for compelling in
stallation of meters in taxicabs.
The proceedings started off smoothly
when all present agreed to urge Con.
gress to require taxicab operators tc
take out liability insurance, provided
that legal safeguards were inserted il
the law to prevent insurance companies
from charging exorbitant rates for the
insurance.
Engage in Heated Debate.
Col. Barber, who then got the floor
made a speech in which he charged
that taxicab conditions in the District
were "disgraceful' and during the
course of his remarks he took several
thrusts at the District Federation fol-
its stand in opposition to requiring
meters in cabs
Mr. Sullivan heatedly replied charg-
ing that Col. Barber had appeared be-
fore the House District Committee as
representative of the Inter- Federation
Conference, which body had not taken
a stand on the matter of taximeters
Col. Barber said that he had beer
speaking for the Citizens Joint Trans
portation Committee, and that although
he had told the District Committee that
he was delegate to the conference, he
had not claimed to represent it.
Col. Barber then read from the report
he had presented to the District Com
mittee, urging the adoption of tax
meters. After reading this report, Col
Barber moved that the whole subject
be left to the District Public Utilitie,
Commission for action. The Utilitie.
Commission and the District federation
are on opposite sides Of the meter ques-
ton, however. and Mr.. Sullivan OBJ
jected. He said that proponents of the
zone-fare system had not had chanc,
to present any report, and that thu
conference should not act without hear
ing the merits of both sides.
Col. Barber then proposed to ALLOW
the Zone-fare proponents Is minutes
with speeches from the floor on tn,
subject thereafter limited to five min
utes. 1t was at this point that Mr.
Sullivan took his departure. He frs
tried to put through a motion to ad
journ, and when the motion was de-
feated he declared he could not stay al
night and left