Evening star., 1937-11-24
Indianan Also Demands New
Personnel for Public UtiI-
tiles Commission,
AT TACK FOLLOWS ACTION
by LOCAL CIVIC GROUP
Capital Transit Co. Has Been
Pampered, Petted, Babied," Com.
mittee Member Says.

bus fare and new personnel for the
| Public Utilities Commission we're
made today by Representative Schultz,
Democrat, of Indiana, an active mem
Der OF the House District Committee.
| Mr.. Schultz said he plans to intro
| duce bill making it mandatory for
| the commission to fix fares at cents.
| Changes in the personnel of the COM
mission, however, he pointed out, rests
with President Roosevelt, who has au-
| thority to appoint the members.
Mr.. Schulte's attack on the COM
mission and existing fares closely fol-
lowed adoption by representatives of
l9 civic and Government organiza-
tons of a flve-point program designed
to give Washington an improved mass
transportation system and reason
| able fares"
THE Capital Transit Co. has been
pampered, petted and babied," de-
clared Mr.. Schultz. That's the result
of its ability to sell itself to the public
and District officials"
| Seven Cent Bill Pending.
A bill fixing maximum fares at Z
cents, introduced at the last session
of Congress by Representative Dirk
sen, Republican, of Illinois. is nov
pending before the District Commit
tee.
Action at last nights meeting, held
in the auditorium of the old Interior
Department Building, came near the
close of two-hour discussion of the
transit situation, during which both
the Public Utilities Commission and
the Capital Transit Co. were con-
denlned vigorously for existing con-
ditlons.
Resolutions adopted specifically call
| for.
/. Public ownership and operation Of
the transit lines.
| 2. Immediate return to the former
token rate of four for 80 cents, to-
gether with universal transfers as we'll
as establishment of the abandoned
81 weekly pass
3. Reorganization of the Public
Utilities Commission, including re-
placement of the present three
Commissioners Riley E. Elgen
chairman; Richmond B. Keech, vice
chairman, and It. Col. Dan I. Sultan
engineer commissioner of the District
Wants Peoples Counsel
4. Appropriation of funds to reopen
the Office of peoples counsel and pro-
vide him with an adequate legal and
research staff
3. An investigation to determine
feasibility of subway system for
rapid transit service.
The meeting. called by an un-
organized group interested in the
transportation situation, to protest
against the recent order of the com.
mission increasing token fares to SIX
Tor SO cents, attracted about so per.
sons, a dozen of whom took an active
part in the discussion. The principal
speaker was William NICK. CLAYTON
veteran chairman of the Public Utili-
ties Committee of the Federation Of
Citizens Associations. William A,
Roberts, former peoples counsel, and
Representative Dirksen, a member of G
special subcommittee of the House
District Committee. appointed to in.
vestlgate the transit situation. were
invited to speak. but send word the,
would not be in Washington at tn,
time.
Group to Press for Action.
A special committee was appointed
to press for action on the five resol,.
lions. Copies, it was announced. Woulo
be sent to President Roosevelt and the
House Transit Investigating Subcom.
mittee.
Mr.. Clayton reviewed events leading
up to merger of the Transportation
system In December, 1888, and ex.
pressed the opinion public ownership
and operation of the transit lines 81.
not quite accessible yet" He described
the merger as 'cold-blooded, selfish
proposition pointing out that thu
original plan OF consolidation included
uniting OF the old capitalization Co.
the washington Railway e. Electric
co. and the Potomac Electric Powe,
Co.
VAN ooOiiioS IieCIllC rover 20
hao been merged with the two stree
car companies" he declared, "we
would be in clover now"
Cites Increases.
Pointing out that transit fares il
recent years have gone up instead O
down. Mr.. Clayton declared: "W,
wouldn't recognize a rate reduction
under the present regime if it cam,
down the street" And then he added
"One of our troubles is the lack of 5
vote"
Sam Lipkowitz, who served as chair.
man of committee which made s
research of the transit situation
opened the meeting by explainin,
the transit company is capable o
providing efficient service if it's "ar
chaic" financial structure is reorean
lied. He predicted it would be man,
: years" before the present system would
pe modernized under the present f1nan
cial set-up and declared the onlv inn
mediate solution is public ownershi,
at reasonable price"
Another meeting was called for nex
| Tuesday NIGHT b,If tho ,,,o,z l