Evening star., 1938-06-05
CONGRESS TOGET !
!. FEDERATION PLEA
|. FORCABL|AB|L|IY
5
Personal Letters to Go to
Every Member Asking
Law This Session.
BILL SOUGHT 9 YEARS
NOW IN CONFERENCE
Note Says Capital Residents Are
About to Be Left Unprotected
for Another Year

Personal letters carrying an emer-
gency plea for passage at this session
OF the bill to require financial respon-
sibility OF taxicab operators will be {
sent to every member Of Congress by
the Federation Of Citizens Associa-
tions in accord with action decided on
last night.
The bill, sought for nine years by the :
federation, has been passed in different
form by the House and Senate and /
now is in the hands Of a conference
cammittee.
In proposing the unusual action in )
favor Of the bill, william Mex. Clay
ton, chairman Of the groups Public
Utilities Committee. declared approval Z
Of the measure now is Of imperative !
Importance"
Mr.. Clayton personally voiced hope
that the House and Senate conferees !.
early this week would report a bill
along the lines of the Senate bill, add
ing that the House plan, which would
permit block insurance procedure,
would be In the interest of the cab
companies and damaging to independ-
ent operators.
Lack Of Protection Cited.
The letter will state:
Residents of and visitors to the Ma
tional Capital are about to be left
unprotected for another year by fall
ure of Congress to pass taxicab liabil-
ity law, unless the compromise shortly
expected to be agreed to by the con-
ference committee is adopted by the
Congress before adjournment.
NO other city Of comparable size
In this country lacks facilities for legal
redress against public vehicles for hire,
making them responsible for damages
to passengers, motorists or pedestrians. .
NO other city approaches this in
the number of taxicabs per capita.
This legislation is badly needed for
the protection of all, including the
taxicab operators themselves. The
Federation of Citizens Associations
urgently requests you to vote for and
encourage passage at once of a taxi
cab liability law, supported unani-
mously by all citizens and represent
ative organizations of the District"
During discussion of the resolu-
ton, Mr.. Clayton and Harry s. wen-
der, another member of the Utilities
Committee, charged paid lobbyists" are
attempting to kill the measure.
Transit Protest Made.
Before adjourning for the summer.
to meet the first Saturday night in
October, the Federation also protested
the plan of the Capital Transit Co..
to abandon its street car service from
Union Station to Eighth and F streets
NE, a question now awaiting a deci-
sion by the Public Utilities Commis-
sion.
BY vote of 43 to 3, the federation
supported a report by Mr.. Clayton
disapproving a resolution by the CO.
lumbla Heights Citizens Association
urging establishment of mass trans
portation service by automobiles at a
fare of 10 cents. The plan was cham
pioned by Luther r. Maddox of Co.
lumbia Heights, Mrs. Marie Flynn
Maddox. former delegate, and George
H. Brown of Columbia Heights.
service, running through Park road,
from Wisconsin avenue NV. to Cath
olic University and Rhode Island ave-
niue NE, was urged by the federation
on recommendation by Burd w.
Payne, vice chairman of the Utilities
Committee
Zoning Changes Urged.
Passage of the bill to revise and
modernize the District Zoning Act,
as 1t has been amended by the Senate
District Committee, was urged on mo-
ton by Myron r. Walker of the
loning Committee. He reported vari-
GUS amendments sought by civic
leaders had been written into the bill.
Fearing that the District may face
a relief problem before the new Con-
gress meets In January, the federation
urged that the Commissioners be
authorized to expend the present
100000 appropriation for the new
fiscal year at a rate not to exceed
Sl09, 900 per month during the next
six months. II the experts now max
ing a relief survey conclude that ad-
ditional sums are needed, the group
urges that these be granted in the
first deficiency bill to be passed in
the new session.
Establishment of a limit Of eight
hours a day and 48 hours per week
for employees of Gallinger Hospital
was urged, In action on a report by
r. J. Mcdonald for the Public We'll
fare Committee.
Other Actions Taken.
DR.. Charles B. Campbell, for the
Health Committee. advised the fed
Grafton that Gallinger employees would
receive substantial relief from extra
hour work by the starting July /
of w. p. A. project providing for
the assignment of 80 additional per-
sons to the staff.
The federation reiterated its re-
quest for passage by Congress of
bill to give the District something
nearer parity with the States in the
number Of candidates appointed to
the West Point Military Academy.
The action was suggested by H. C.
Phillips of the Education Committee.
President Roosevelt was asked to
name bona fide" resident of the
District as successor to Commissioner
George E. Allen, whose resignation
becomes effective September /.
The Fort Davis Citizens Associa-
ton, which Is headed by James Bax.
ter, was admitted to membership.