Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-08-06
Heated Words
Exchanged at
Fare Hearing
PUG Attorney Tells
Consumer Unit Aide
To Keep Mouth Shu'
BY Jerry O'Leory, Jr.


hearings on the Capital Transit
Co.'S request for higher street.
car and bus fares exploded into
Wordy battle royal today, pune
tuated by hot exchange by
attorneys and the PUG chair
man.
With nerves obviously taut from
the six days of legal maneuvering
thus far, the lawyers went at it
hammer and tongs this morning as
cross-examination of company wit
nesses resumed.
The company wants the PUG to
authorize an increase in the l0-cent
cash fare to Is cents, reinstate
tokens at two for a quarter and in
crease the price of the $3.50 weekly
pass to $185.
Today,s pickering started while
Attorney Benjamin C. Sigal, repre-
senting the Americans for Demo-
cratic Action, was pressing j. E.
Heberle, vice president and con-
troler of Capital Transit, to furnish
vastly complicated series Of fare
computations.
Flanagan Breaks In.
Then everybody got into the act.
There we're remarks Of:
sit down."
Keep your damn mouth shut"
81 resent that
1t began after Mr.. Sigal had tried
for an hour to undermine Mr..
Heberle's estimates of future losses
of revenue to the company because
of slackening traffic.
After watching Mr.. Sigal hold a
whispered consultation with another
attorney. Harry R. Booth, represent
ing the Washington Committee for
Consumer Protection, PUG Chair
man James H. Flanagan said, sar-
castically:
Mr.. Sigal, you we're doing very
we'll until you listened to the sug-
gestions of counsel attorney
BOOTH. At that point you went off
the BEAM"
1t was recalled that Mr. Booth
has taken part in many hearings
before the PUG during the last six
years, usually at swords point with
both the PUG and WashingtonfS
public utility companies.
Il did not change my questions
because of what any one said,' re-
torted Mr.. Sigal. Attorney Booth
rose to his feet, but before he could
speak, Chairman Flanagan said:
Mr.. Booth, sit down! Cross eX-
animation is in progress"
Il resent that statement re-
piled Mr.. Booth, settling back into
his chair.
At that point Lloyd B. Harrison,
assistant corporation counsel and
attorney for the PUG, leaned for
ward and addressed Mr.. Booth in an
audible whisper:
Keep your damn mouth shut
Third Day on Stand.
Mr.. Harrison said at a recess
shortly afterward that he referred
to Mr. Booths attempts to plant
suggestions in Mr.. Sigal's ear.
Today marked the third success
sive day that Mr.. Heberle has been
cross-examined by attorneys for
groups opposing the proposed fare
boosts. Mr.. Booth will cross
examine him when Mr.. Sigal has
finished, with the hearings likely to
continue on Monday and Tuesday.
Chairman Flanagan recessed the
hearing until 2 pm shortly after
todays pickering.
Both the ADA and the Consumer
Committee are recognized as inter-
venors by the PUG, with the right
to cross examine, introduce wit
nesses and testimony and appeal to
the courts. The American Veterans
Committee also is an intervenor.
Quizzed ON Testimony.
A fourth intervenor, the Fedora
ton of Citizens Association, spent
most of yesterday cross-examining
Mr. Heberle on his earlier testimony
about why the company needs the
fare increase. The Federation
spokesman was George Corbin, vice
chairman of its public utilities COM
mittee.
Mr.. Heberle also was cross-ex-
amined yesterday by Peoples Coun-
sci John O'Dea and Mr. Harrison.
Mr.. Corbin told Mr.. Heberle he
did not think the people of Wash
ington would accept the proposed
schedule of fare increase. He
asked Mr. Heberle whether Capital
Transit would seek fare reduction,
If it were discovered that the fare
increases, upon being authorized,
brought the company more than the
legal rate of return.
Mr.. Heberle said the company
would. In such case, seek a fare
reduction, but added that he did
not think it likely occurrence
The company official contended
the proposed increases would fix
the companys income at about the
712 per cent rate of return allowed
on it's s30O00,0OO investment.