Evening star., 1947-05-13

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Mail, Provide Postage
BULLETIN
Herman Tocker, attorney for
the CIO Washington Indus
trial Union Council, today filed
in District Court an amended
complaint against the Public
Utilities Commission and the
Capital Transit Co., while JUS
tice F. Dickinson Let's was
making formal his denial of
the unions first request for
an injunction against the new
fares last Saturday night. Mr..
Tocker said he would seek an
immediate hearing on the
amended complaint.
Two moves to set aside the
newly authorized streetcar anc
bus rates for the District were
pending today, while the Capita.
Transit Co. announced steps tt
speed refund of unused tokens.
The new rate order. which wen
into effect Sunday, eliminated
tokens and set Capital Transit rate!
at a fiat 10 cents a ride. Cost o.
weekly passes was increased from
$1.25 to $50.
Capital Transit officials announced
they would accept tokens by mai
and take care of postage in sending
refunds back to patrons. In addi.
tion, the company having mailing
envelopes printed to be distributed
to patrons by streetcar and bus
operators, Vice President E. G. Gid
dings said.
$4,000 Tokens Turned In.
Until today, passengers have hao
to take their tokens to company
Offices in person for refunds or te
present them, along with their
names and addresses, to operators
Operators then turned the names
into the company and refunds were
mailed.
Passengers can get refunds of {
cents for one token and II cents fol
two, Mr.. Giddings declared. The
tokens should be mailed to the
Capital Transit Co., Thirty sixth and
M streets NV. The official said
about Sc, 900 tokens have been turned
in since Saturday and that less than
100000 are believed still to be out.
The Washington Industrial Union
Council (CIOO filed suit late yes
terday in District Court to block the
new rates until the group can pre-
pare an appeal to the Public Utilities
Commission decision.
In the other development, Peoples
Counsel John O'Dea asked the PUG
to extend the life of the tokens for
80 days from May 8-date on which
the order was issued-to give transit
patrons chance to get rid of the
tokens now on hand,
Union Seeks Injunction.
The unions suit, asking an in
junction against both the PUG and
the transit company charges the
commission failed to grant enough
time for complainants to prepare
appeals. Under law, it contends,
any one affected by a commission
order has 80 days to request recon-
sideration of the order.
Henry Beitscher, president OF the
Council, said the suit was filed on
behalf of 80 organizations with a
membership of 10000. The group
fled IAN incomplete appeal Satur-
day night, which was denied by the
commission, he said. ut
"All we want is an opportunity
to prepare an adequate brief on all
points of the Public Utilities Com
missions 23-page findings on the
question. But we can't even get a
copy of the brief Mr.. Beitscher
said.
The councils president said he
made two attempts yesterday to
get copies of the report but that the
commission refused to release it.
How can we file an adequate ap-
peal on the Sommission's findings
when all we have to go on is second
hand reports?". he asked.
Mr.. BeitscheS said the action 'of
the peoples counsel seems to show
more concern with inconvenience
than with justice of the new rates"
Mr.. O'Dea's motion said the PUG
action did not leave patrons enough
time to dispose of tokens already
purchased. He said the order has
created great confusion and placed
burdens on the holders
of tokens.
Mr.. O'Dea's motion probably will
be acted on by the commission
today, according to Commissioner
James H. Flanagan.