Evening star., 1939-01-20
Business Federation
Asked 10 Help Solve
Taxi Problem
Keeeh, Speaking at
Meeting, Invites
Views at HEARING

There are more taxicabs in the
District of Columbia than there are
in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Chi
cago put together and multiplied by
two, Richmond B. Keech, vice chair
man of the Public Utilities Commits
sion, told the Federation of Busi-
ness Mems Associations last night
at the Hamilton Hotel, in inviting
members to attend the February 8
hearing and voice their views on
zone rates.
Mr.. Keech termed the present
taXicab question controversial"
one, saying that even the drivers
themselves couldn't agree on wheth-
er to ask for a change in the zones
or merely for an increase in the zone
rate. More than l 400 drivers have
petitioned us for hearing on these
changes" he said, 80 it looks as
though We'll have to try, at least, to
solve the present miXup."
One solution proposed by the
Utilities Commission vice chairman
was the limitation of cabs to be-
tween 1000 and $500, as compared
to 1000 now or the peak number
Of 4,900. According to Mr.. Keech,
this number, which has also been
suggested by the Federation of Citi-
zens' Associations, would help the
traffic condition in Washington and
aid the operators themselves by re-
moving too much competition.
Speaker Hits Patman Tax.
Terming the Patman chain store
tax bill now pending in Congress
neither sane nor economically
sound" w. E. Cartwright, assistant
to the vice president of the Sanitary
Grocery Co, declared the measure
was designed to eliminate through
taxation a certain type of business,
namely, the chain store" The bill
provides for a pyramiding tax on
the number of stores operated by
chain, with maximum of ST 900 per
store, this amount, however, being
multiplied by the number of States
In which the stores are established.
IF people did not want chain
stores they wouldn't patronize them
and they would go out of business"
Mr.. Cartwright stated. "Why not
let the public decide whether or not
they want them?"
Answering charges that the chain
stores constituted monopoly on re-
tail sales, the grocery company ex-
ecutlVe quoted statistics showing
that chain store sales constituted
only % per cent of all retail sales in
1885. although there was an in
crease in individual food stores of
more than 10000 during the period
1925-l935, chain stores decreased 83
per cent during the same time" Mr..
Cartwright said.
Gordon Hittenmark of the National
Broadcasting Co. also spoke briefly
and outlined a community adver-
tising plan in which he would broad
cast daily from various communities
throughout the city and advertise
their products by means of mobile
broadcasting unit. The matter was
referred to the Executive Committee
for consideration.
Assails Bridge Closing.
Assailing as outrageous" the &C
ton of the Bureau of Roads in clos
ing Key Bridge, John Paul Jones
of the Georgetown Businessmen's
Federation claimed the District
Commissioners were the only ones to
have authority over the bridge He
traced the background of the closing
of the bridge, due to the building
Of an underpass to the George Wash
ington Memorial Highway, and said
that according to a police traffic
count 300 cars an hour can pass over
the structure without causing a
tieup, thus eliminating the reason
for the closing.
In resolution approved by the
federation, Mr.. Jones asked that a
ramp be constructed over the bridge
to keep the normal flow of traffic
moving.
B. Houston McCeney, formerly
first vice president of the organiza-
ton, was elected president to re-
place Fairfax Oyster, who resigned.
Louis Bowdler was named first vice
president,