Evening star., 1937-06-25

after he had resigned as peoples coun-
Gel.
Taking the witness stand unexpect-
edly, Roberts recited the history of
one-man car operations in Washington
and declared there had been popular
agitation" against this type of car ever
since their introduction. The order OF
the Public Utilities Commission allow
ing the company to increase one-man
car operations by a limited number
with stipulation that they should be
only of the streamlined Presidents
Conference type, he described as a
"highly forced conclusion of the COM
mission" that he couldn't quite sWal-
low" 1T showed a compromise de-
eision," he declared.
Arrived at Office Early.
Roberts arrived at his Office at 5:45
o'clock this morning to complete legal
brief so he would be able to testify be-
fore the subcommittee on the one nan
car situation-a situation Representa-
tive Dirksen, Republican, of Illinois,
author of bill to prohibit their opera
ton, continued to attack unrelentingly
with the resumption of the inquiry.
The testimony of Roberts was fire.
ouently punctuated by clashes with Of
1icials OF the transit company, who ac-
cused him of interpreting the evil
dence" of the recent one-man car
hearings before the Utilities Commits
sion.
Once, E. D. Merrill, president of the
company, interrupted: IF Mr.. Rob-
erts is going to be permitted to say
what was in my mind I must insist ]
be allowed to speak for myself"
Even though no action has beer
taken to bring the one-man car order
to trial in the Court of Appeals, Rob-
erts indicated he was not hopeful of
q favorable decision on behalf of the
Federation and Central Labor Union
because of law he said he had writ
ten as peoples counsel which would
restrict the right Of the courts to up
set decisions of the commission.
Because of that law, he declared, it
IS almost impossible to get a reversal
In the courts OF commission decisions.
II thought it was a good law when I
wrote it" he said. THE company op-
posed it then. But it looks like it has
worked out just the other way around" Z"
Prior to the hearing, Dirksen dis
closed his next important move
IN the inquiry would be to determine
whether the company is top heavy"
with highly paid executives.
Dirksen argued that one-man cars
do not provide proper service or pro-
lection to the public. He and j. E.
Heberle, vice president and controller
OF the company, debated the subject
1T length.
No Questions AolIowed.
Calling attention to signs in one
man cars forbidding passengers to
talk to the conductor operator, Dirk
sen inquired:
How can you satisfy the adequacy
OF public service If the public is in
structed not to talk to the motor
MANI"
Next Dirksen asked:
What would happen in the case of
IN assault on one man carr"
Heberle explained that the motor
man has a rear-view mirror which en-
ables him to see everything that hap
pens IN the car. In the case of an as
sault, he declared, the motorman
would stop the car and open the doors.
Under those conditions" said He
oerle, "the motorman can with per-
feet safety leave his post and attend
70 any situation"
How can motorman see the as
sault If the car is filled?" asked Dirk
sen. "Or how can bus operator see
something on a bus which is packed?"
It's All Done by Mirrors.
Heberle answered that the mirrors
On the modern one-man cars give the
operator a view over the heads OF
the passengers and he is enabled to
see more in the mirror than he would
If he turned around and faced the
Passengers.
At this point Dirksen said he is a
street car rider and frequently talks to
the employees incognito, despite the
company rules.
Now" said Dirksen, chow did 1t
come about that in more than 100
cases under my personal observation
motormen on these one-man cars de-
pended on the passengers to tell them
When to start. In innumerable in
stances when got off the car pas
sengers had to tell the motorman I
had cleared the steps"
III the operator did that, he violated
the rules Of the company" replied
Heberle.
The operator had all Of the devices
necessary to inform him when 1t was
SAFE to start. The chances are he
started not because he was told by =