Evening star., 1947-05-12
Go VIII Press
Fight on Boost
n Transit Fares
Condem FIonogon'
Arbitrary Refusal
TO Grant Reheorinq

The washington CIO Industrial
Union Council today expressed de-
termination to continue It's nght
against the rise In transit fares,
which went into effect yesterday.
1t blasted Chairman james II. Flan-
asan OF the Public Utilities Com.
mission for arbitrary and unpre-
cented action" In refusing TO grant
q reheAring.
Henry Beitscher, council president,
today charged Mr.. Flanagan with
preparing q written denial Of the
|CIO request for q rehearing yester-
day before he had even read 1t. He
hit also at Commissioner James w.
IAuderdale's concurrence when ''h0
was not even present at the presel1-
tation Of the petition
IN announcing he would press for
q reversal Of the rate change, Mr..
Beitscher said he was calling to-
gether members Of his organization
tomorrow night to consider future
action.
Court Refuses Plea.
Justice F. Dickinson Let's, to
whom the council appealed for
restraining order early yesterday
morning ruled that the CIO group
must exhaust all its administrative
appeals before seeking court action.
Mr.. Beitscher went directly from
that hearing to Mr.. Flanagan's home
in q last-minute appeal and was
turned down. Mr.. Beitscher now
believes his next move should be In
court.
I'VE consider that Mr.. Flanagan's
action In turning down our request
before he had even seen 1t was
highly arbitrary and illustrates that
he Is acting In q manner suhservient
f$o. the Capital Transit Co., and not
In the interest of the public, which
is supposed to be paramount" Mr..
Beitscher said.
Mr.. Flanagan said today that he
had presented to Mr.. Beitscher and
the CIO attorney, Herman Tocker,
four reasons for denying the appli-
cation which was to be only q few
hours before the new fares went
into effect:
/. The matter had been considered
by the. PUG for three months al-
ready.
2. Public hearings already had
been held and all pertinent evi-
dence considered.
3. More than six weeks were
spent by the PUG in digesting the
evidence presented at the hearings.
4. No new facts were presented
which justified delaying the execu-
ton of the PUG order allowing the
rise.
| Fare Now 10 Cents.
The newfafes are 10 cents straight
/ tor = single ride and $1.50 for .
weekly pass There was no change
Itn the rate Tor scilooIs childrerls-.
lie. G.. Gtddings, assistant to The
president Of Capital Transit, said
today the switchover at am. yes
! terday resulted In very little con-
fusion. So far very few tokens have
been returned for refunds, but he
expects a good many more to be
turned In today. Tokens may be
returned for cash al any one Of Is
terminals and the main Office at
Thirty y-sixth and M streets NV.
and the Lost and Found office at
1416 F street NV.
He said there had been only q few
incidents yesterday Of persons drop
ping tokens in the car and bus boxes
| by mistake. The company has made
arrangements to have the rider pay
the 10-cent fare and be repaid later
by mail.
The CIO group already has sent
letters to more than go groups which
Joined in protesting the fare rise at
1.-THE hearings some time ago and in-
lvited the groups to join with 1t In
fighting the move now.