Evening star., 1941-11-07
SendtorsHear
Plan for Rail
Connmuter Line
Schmitt Contends
None Of Objections
Is sInsurmountobIe
Nv JAMES F. CHINN.

waldo l.. SChmllt, champion o.
. speedy railroad commuter serv.
ice from nearby Maryland and Vir-
ginia, today told the special Senate
committee studying the District
traffic problem that none of the OBJ
jections yet raised to the plan by
the railroads is ''insurmountable."
L am wondering" he said, I'll
the railroads are not holding back
waiting for Uncle Sam to put in g
service they can use. I am not &C.
cuSing them of that-I'm just won.
dering'
Mr.. Schmitt is promoting a plar
to have the railroads operate COM
muter trains over existing tracks tc
Twelfth street and Maryland ave-
nue. S.W., where they would connect
with subsurface shuttle trains oper-
atlng through the Mall area.
The hearing was marked by briei
verbal clash between the witnes.
and Highway Director H. C. White.
hurst when Mr. Schmitt said HI
called on Capt. Whitehurst to dis
cuss the plan with him and was tolc
by the highway director he was no,
interested"
Whitehurst Denies Claim.
That's untrue" shouted Capt
Whitehurst. Il told him subway
lines across the Mall are thoroughly
impractical, and I repeat that to-
day"
I'm sorry I let myself 60" the
witness said, coupling with the
apology request that the exchange
be stricken from the record.
1T you don't want some of your
statements in record. don't make
them," advised Chairman Burton.
Mr.. Schmitt's request was granted
however
John H. Connaughton. general
counsel of the National Association
of Hothouse Growers, made a plea
for approval of the bill providing
for 2-cent increase in the gasoline
tax. He pointed out the revenue
from the present 2-cent tax has
never been sufficient, since it was
levied in 1925. to finance all needed
highway improvements.
Despite large increase in popula-
tion since 1925. Mr.. Connaughton
declared the expenditures on high
way Improvements are about the
same as they were Is years ago, with
\ resulting accumulation of needs.
Mrs. Lily o. Fletcher, 1857 Co.
lumbia road NV. who introduced
herself as "a representative of the
travelling public trying to get into
the District" deplored abandon
ment of passenger service by the
Washington e. Old Dominion Rail-
way from Rosslyn to points in
Northern Virginia as far west as
Purcellville.
Since railroads are "the most re-
liable and dependable" means of
transportation. Mrs. Fletcher said.
an express commuter service from
Virginia into the District is urgently
needed. She suggested that rail-
roads be allowed use of Key Bridge
to reach Georgetown and that mo-
torists living in Virginia be COM
PEELED to come into the city over
Chain, Memorial and Highway
Bridges.
Fringe Parking Opposed.
Mr.. Schmitt began his testimony
with declaration that fringe park
Ing lots would cause the razing of
many buildings and destroy the
beauty of Washington.
Mr.. Schmitt pointed out that "a
lot of people could not be evacuated
from Washington in short order" in
an emergency because of congestion
at Union Station, a situation that
would be relieved he said, by a
commuter service, because other
stations would be located at differ
ent points near the Mall
Results of a traffic check made by
Mr.. Schmitt during rush hours at
various points near the Maryland-
District boundary were placed in the
record to show the number of SUI
burbanites, now driving their own
cars. who might use d commuter
service.
At wisconsin avenue and Somerset
street he said he counted Ills cars
bearing Maryland tags coming into
the District in one hour. At Con-
necticut avenue and Bradley lane
he counted 622 Maryland cars and at
Bladensburg road and the District
line, 1.l60.
Whitehurst Disputes Schmitt.
Capt Whitehurst followed Mr.
Schmitt on the witness stand and
testified that representatives of
three of the railroads running into
Washington - Pennsylvania. B. &
o. and R., F. & P.-had informed
him at recent conference that ex-
tension of their present commuter
service is not justified.
According to information re-
ceived from the railroads we have a
commuter service now" he said
The commuters, however, have al
most passed out of existence. They
left the railroads. The railroads
didn't leave them"
Capt Whitehurst also declared
that steam locomotives could not be
brought into the Mall area and re-
marked that one of the troubles
with mass transportation com.
panies is they are giving too much
"door-to- door service" and con.
eestion results.
Are the people OF Washington
ready for that type of service?'
asked Capt. Whitehurst. IF the,
have a rapid transit system herr
there will be no more door-to-dool
service. Trains are not going t.
stop at every block. Stops will b'
placed four or five blocks apart"
Mr.. Schmitt had told the subcom
mittee that subway running
through the Mall to carry shuttle
trains from Twelfth street and Vir.
ginia avenue through the Mall II
Government buildings on Constitu