Evening star., 1948-08-24
Bus Terminal Experience

There seemed to be thousands Of people both
going and coming. The information booth was
closed, and even II 1t had been open you
scouldnt have gotten near it.
took my place in one of half-dozen long
lines waiting to buy tickets. I wasn't just sure
whether my bus left at 1880 pm. Eastern
standard time or 7:30 daylight saving time
But it was important to know. since. If the
latter, I would have half an hour to wait; II
the former an hour and half. This was
what was thinking while waiting in line
But was entirely wrong about both of these
times, in fact l grossly underestimated the
time required to leave this particular bus
terminal. particularly on Friday evenings.
After about a half hour of waiting to buy
my ticket. finally did get it just in time to
get my BUS, If 1T were five minutes late. 1t was
10 minutes late, and you should have seen
the mob trying to get to and on it, at the same
time that similar mobs were trying to get to
and on other buses going other places. I saw
a bus pull out for st. Louis with people stand
ing in the aisle. The st. Louis bus had ar
rived at the gate where the New York mob
was waiting, and the New York bus at the
gate where the St. Louis mob was waiting.
And both nobs were three times too large
for one bus.
AS for me, couldn't even get out Of the
bus terminal, much less to or anywhere near
one of the gates. I couldn't even get to the
wrong gate.
After the New York bus left half hour
late without me, / stood there waiting for
section 2, If any, not daring to leave my place
for fear I would be pushed back into the
terminal by the in-rushing mobs that were
getting of of these buses and trying to push
through the same small gates (wide enough
for one) as the out-pushing crowd.
Mad Scramble" at Gates.
When section 2 arrived, I had expected 1t
would pull up to the same gate as section l.
But to my CONSERVATION 1t arrived at another
gate, at the same time as buses for other
points So again there was a mad scramble
Of twice as many people as could possibly get
on any Of the buses.
AS stood there, had q good opportunity
to observe the system or lack Of 1t, Buses
would come in loaded to the gills and disgorge
their human cargo where already there was
no standing room, whereupon the incoming
crowd would fight to get of the buses and
through the outgoing mob
One could not help but wonder if this were
not due in part, if not entirely, to poor man
agement. There was a noticeable lack Of signs,
directions and information. The facilities
seemed entirely inadequate, and yet people
were clamoring for what there were. In
other words buses seem to be becoming more
popular-and this in spite Of what appeared
to be poor management
After O couple of hours, when finally
decided to turn in my ticket, got in long
line again. When I reached the window the
ticket seller said that since had bought the
ticket from different seller, would have
to find him df could remember which one
it was). So came home and still have the
ticket. I just couldn't 60 through another line
that night.
What is the cause Of this lack Of planning
and Of facilities? Is this due to the fact that
the bus company has a franchise, monopoly.
or is 1t due to inadequate control from some
governmental regulatory body?
I wonder what the situation is in the bus
terminals in Moscow. If they are just as bad,
then guess we can rest in complacent
ineptituue. FRANK M. BOWIE.
Editors Note: Bus terminal personnel say
that much of this criticism is justified due
to a great increase in bus travel in recent
weeks, but steps are being taken to correct
conditions as much as possible.
More on, Sanity Trials
To the Editor OF The Star:
DR.. Irene Douglas Waldo has started some
thing that should be followed up by enough
people, so that something will be done about
such deplorable situation. She knows where
Of she speaks and is not writing from hearsay
she has attended these hearings on the
sanity Of our unfortunates for months and
has seen the inhuman injustices practiced
by the people who Judge whether person
is sane OF insane. I have not attended these
insane hearings but I have had the care
of q person who was declared insane when
he was not and 1t was a most pathetic ex-
perience-one shall never forget.
After my ward was quickly" declared in
sane and committed to q national mental IN
stitution for the rest Of his miserable life,
I suggested that we 60 back to court with
enough witnesses to testify to his sanity to
have him released. After going through the
farce of his sanity hearing his answer was
1T will do us no good to 60 through with It,,
it will just embarrass us all. No matter
how intelligent my answers might be my
miserable appearance would condemn me-"
His was an intellect that you don't come
in contact with every day but he was un-
fortunate in that he had nobody who cared
about his happiness. have always thought
that charity should begin at home. Some
thing should be done at once about wrong
doing right at home while we try to correct
the worlds ills. MARY E. SHAW.
To the Editor Of The Star:
I agree with DR.. Irene Douglas Waldo, in
her letter of August Is, on sanity hearings
and wish to quote the following from Black
stone: ITO bereave a man of life, or by
violence to confiscate his estate, without sc-
cffss tim rr trial would he en- cross and nOtnri.
GUS an act Of despotism as must at once convey
the alarm Of tyranny throughout the entire
Nation; but confinement Of the person. by
secretly hurrying him to gao where his
sufferings are unknown or forgotten, is 4 less
public, less striking, and therefore more
dangerous engine of government"
H. E. NEWBERRY.
Ai-x.S,. A->I Cl-..S<.