Evening star., 1948-11-11

ceptance Of others opinions, Mrs. Roosevelt
definitely has the "infantile" approach with
regard to the Dixiecrats-intolerant, vengeful
-Stalinish. JANE 3. DUKE.
Columbia, 8. c.
Views on Transit Problems
To the Editor Of The Star:
The writer Is no first citizen" nor repre-
sentative Of any renowned organization, except
insofar as might voice the like sentiments Of
the rank and file Of the great army of the
working girl condemned to depend upon the
Capital Transit Co. to take it where it has to
CO. Frankly, perhaps we expected too much,
but though it wasn't on the platform" of the
recent campaign for increased fares, were we
unpardonably presumptuous in hoping for q
little better service once those rates went into
effect? At least might we reasonably have
expected that the same service would be main-
tainedp But after one week of sheer tolerance
under the new rate schedule, our patience is
exhausted to discover that fewer streetcars
and buses are running than before and the
transportation service has ceased to bear even a
coincidental resemblance to the definition ap-
piled thereto by one notable Webster.
We are not chronic fault finders; we want
to see every man and every organization justly
grudgingly accepted, even though that extra
81 or $3.50 per month meant curtailing else
where in order to make ends meet-but-have
the Capital Transit officials ever been sentenced
to rely on their own transportation service?
We don't think worse punishment could be
imposed upon busy person! If there is such
thing as a schedule, certainly no driver pays
the least attention to it. You might wait more
than half an hour one day and the following
day, within the same time three cars will have
passed. We have overheard the Catholic Uni
versity students refer to the Brookland line
as the banana line" because they run in
punches. Likewise, the Sunday afternoon
transportation service on the BladenSburg
South Dakota line is nothing less than unfair
to unorganized riding victims. The buses are
20 far apart you wait q half hour for one.
only to have 1t speed by, too crowded to take
on one more passenger, with no assurance the
same situation won't obtain on the one that will
be due half hour hence: at which point you
either give up the idea Of going somewhere or
take the first cab in order to keep an engage
ment for which you are already late.
Likes Kansas City Service.
Now that the obstructive criticisms" have
been offered in evidence, O few Of the con-
structive variety" are deserved. To begin with,
why was the recent rate increase necessary?
And how about transfer points? Unlike
other cities, there seems to be no attempt
to match up transfer points. In fact, would
almost swear somebody stays up nights think
ing out ways and means so that regardless Of
trafnc signals, good traffic conditions or any
thing else, the bus or car to which you want to
transfer will pull out just as the vehicle on
which you are riding arrives at its stop.
Other cities are able to give far better service
and make money on lower fares. wonder if
the officials Of the Capital Transit have ever
sent competent representative to investigate
conditions elsewhere I can name them one
city where they could learn lot, and that is
Kansas City, Mo- Their transportation is truly
tops" They always keep the latest style street.
cars and buses. The old type car that Capital
Transit uses for f1ll-in during rush hours must
have been relegated to its last resting place by
the Kansas City Public Service Co. before was
born. never saw one until came here. You
can't blame the poor things for heaving last
sigh and dying on the tracks occasionally.
Not even q streetcar should have to work when
it is that antiouated And that's what Wash
ingtonians were riding before the new stream
liner came in not SO very long ago! So the
company must not have had to put a cent into
nineties. Take ride on one of Kansas City's
fine smooth easy-riding buses, and then Won
der why you condescend to the teeth-rattling
process to which you are subjected here And
the greatest blessing of au-you can depend on
them; they run on time. If you are one of
those people who is always taking the chance
of leaving the house minute too late, you can
be sure you will miss the same bus at the same
time every morning. How much are their
fares2 At present they are 10 cents. A few
years ago they were lower. How do they do it?
Kansas City is certainly not the metropolis
that Washington is. 1t can't have the same
number of riders. But in 80 years (more not
admitted) I never knew poor service from the
Kansas City Public Service Co.
Don't ask me their method; I'm no financier.
But certainly there must be or should be men
within the ranks of the Capital Transit who
are capable Of analyZing such situation to
find out why their company is unable to do
what others have been accomplishing for 80
years (admitted). GENEVIEVE E. HOWELL.
Editors Note: Records show that the Cap
ital Transit Co. has spent more than
$4,000 900 on improvements in the past 10
years. OF this total 900 was for new
streetcarS, $7,151 900 for new buses and the
remainder about equally divided for new
tracks and buildings. The company con-
tends that its percentage Of new StreetcarS
is higher than that of any other transit
company. AS for Kansas City, Mo-, fares
went to IL cents cash, three tokens for
IS cents, on September of this year, after
the company had reported an operating
loss Of $550,000 for 1947.
To the Editor Of The Star:
Lately in our local newspapers slams and
slurs have appeared against bus companies and
their drivers Do these people really know the
expenses of these companies and the response
bilities of the drivers? doubt 1t, or they would
not write as they do. 1t takes lot Of nickels
to pay for drivers, gas, oil, ICC and PUG
licenses, paint, tires, mechanics, dispatchers,
cashiers, schedules, office help and supplies,
building repairs and maintenance, etc. Does