Evening star., 1944-02-03
Coffee toAppea|
1oPresident for
b|icCounse|
House Budget Chief
For D. c. to Review
Transit Fare Case
BY DON s. WARREN,

ny DUN b. WAhhEN.
An appeal for appointment of
peoples counsel to serve before tn
District Public Utilities Commission
will be filed shortly with Presiden
Roosevelt, under plans announce,
today by Representative Coffee
Democrat of Washington, the ney
chairman Of the House District Ap
preparations Subcommittee.
While voicing recognition of tn
work and responsibilities Of the PUG
Mr.. Coffee said he was convince,
there was need for independen
counsel for the public in utility mat
tiers, particularly since municipal OF
f1cials were not elected and Wash
ington residents had no formal voic,
in their government.
He revealed his intention of carry
Ing petition for a peoples counse
appointment to the President Will,
planning a heavy schedule for con
sideration of the Districts record
breaking 1945t budget requests, OF
which executive hearings will begir
late in April.
Discusses Transit Fares.
He said it seemed to him ther,
was justification for reduction ol
streetcar and bus fares, from $1.2.
to 81 for weekly passes and from
three for quarter to four for sc
cents for tokens, but emphasized
these were questions under jurisdic-
ton Of the PUG.
II haye not made a study Of the
valuation, expenses or revenues OF
the Capital Transit Co., and I am
informed these matters are under
investigation now. 1t just seems to
me that with the company now
packing its cars and buses to ca
pacity, going and coming, and with
many lines running on short hauls,
present rates are too high even in
spite OF increased wage and other
operating costs"
BY majority vote the PUG voted
last week to defer public hearings
on demands for reduced transit
fares until a formal investigation
Of underlying data, started last year,
was completed. James H. Flanagan
PUG chairman, said public hearings
would be called sometime this sum-
mer.
Questions Under Study.
With Gregory Hankin dissenting
the PUG majority decided no useful
purpose would be served by order
ing hearings until basic facts,
which would stand up in court, had
been compiled on various questions
as to both local and interurban
service, raised by lower fare petit
tioners, which included the District,
Maryland and Virginia spokesmen
for the Congress Of Industrial Or
ganizations.
Questions being studied are fair
value, proper annual depreciation
charges, fair rate of return, and
reasonable, just and nondiscrimina-
tory rates to be charged the public,
along with transfers between the
Capital Transit Co. and the un-
affiliated suburban bus companies
serving Greaer Washington.
The position Of peoples counsel
has been vacant during the most of
a. decade. President Roosevelt has
failed to nominate for the post
though much Of the time salary ap-
preparations have been available.
Coffee Explains Plan.
Mr.. Coffee told The Star it is his
plan, at the forthcoming budget
hearings, to call for complete files
on the original budget estimates
OF all municipal departments and
services, so as to afford knowledge
OF their plans, what cuts or in
creases were made by the Com
missioners and what changes were
included in the formal estimates
at the direction Of. the Federal
Budget Bureau. I'VE want to know
the whole history of the case" he
said, referring to past complaints
that some higher authorities had
deleted requests from the depart
ments.
Before the committee hearings
start. he said, he plans to take the
Congressional group on tour of
inspection Of all important District
institutions. This would give the
committee personal knowledge of
the needs of Gallinger Hospital and
other city operations where con-
ditions or services have been in dis
pute.
Mr.. Coffee also promised more
extended hearings would be granted
by his group for spokesmen for civic
and other public groups. They
should not be crowded into a one
day session, he asserted. He added
that 1t would be to the advantage
OF Congress as well as the public.
for the committee to hear informed
individuals outline their requests
and protests.
He repeated his earlier declara-
tions that Washington's traffic
lights should be synchronized and
avoidable traffic blocks eliminated
and added this problem would be
&,,1