Evening star., 1949-10-28

WHERE REA OFFICIAL MET
istrator of the Rural Electrified
collided head-on with another
Perry, 81, of Stafford, Ariz., ridil
was driving the 1949 Buick she
them into a garage.
in a dozen or more cities which
have radio equipped streetcars and
buses" The Cincinnati system
limits commercials to q maximum
of IL per hour.
"We try to please the greatest
number of people and offend the
least number" he said. Mr.. Taft
estimated the cost of installing re-
ceivers on buses and streetcars at
about 5000 per vehicle.
Instructors Pleased.
Three Capital Transit Co. in
structors of streetcar and bus
operators testified that the motor
mems lot is happier one since
Inhalation of transit radios be-
cause passengers are more con-
genial and friendly"
The three instructors were I. S.
Nichols. H. l.. Willoughby and
E. L. Keller. All three said they
preferred to operate radio
equipped streetcars and buses.
Mr.. Nichols said he has ques-
toned about 200 motormen and
bus drivers about the transit ra-
dios. Almost without exception,
they said they would rather oper-
ate a car equipped with a radio
than one without it," he said.
Mr.. Willoughby said the chatter
OF school children is far more dis
tracing than the radio programs
he hears while operating a street.
car. He said he could not con-
ceive of any way in which the
radio programs might interfere
with his safe operation of a street.
car.
! For five hours yesterday, at
least 80 witnesses spoke their
views-from the witness stand. and
from their seats.
Frequently. Chairman Flanagan
had to steer the hearing yesterday
off the sidetracks of irrelevancy.
At one point he reminded a wit
ness that he was going a little
far afield, talking about prohibi-
ton in India" The witness, Al
bert Page CASTOR, had protested
the advertising commercials on
the transit speakers and ex-
pressed the fear they might soon
carry liquor and cigarette ads.
I Session Gets Stormy.
Yesterdays session grew stormy
near the noon recess, with con-
tinued requests. for the privilege
Of cross-examining the witness
coming from persons in the au-
dience. Mr.. Flanagan had an
nounced that each person would
be given an opportunity to speak.
Only the first witness of the
day was sworn in. After that the
procedure was omitted.
At the opening of the after
noon session Mr.. Flanagan an
nounced he would begin with
those in the first row, one at a
time.
1--WE intend to give every one
who wants a chance to speak the
opportunity to do So" he said.
"but we must maintain some
semblance of order"
BY 4::30 pm, not a hand came
up when he asked If there were
any more witnesses, but at least
20 had signified previously their
intention of appearing for today s
hearing.
One Sees politics"
One witness. Benjamin IS. FL
lott, a Veterans Administration
mechanical engineer, saw "politi-
cal implications" in the transit
radio.
Whats to stop a bus company
from conniving with the Demo-
Gratis, the Republicans, the So
cialists or the Communists to
lombard us with propaganda all
day and all night?" he asked.
Mr.. Elliott drew applause when
he asserted his perfect right to
board these conveyances and re-
fuse to pay until the radios are
turned Off"
But I'm not in any way trying
to incite mob action" he added.
Mr.. Elliott scoffed at sugges-
tions by some proponents Of the
radio that it would be of great
value in time Of emergency.
Imagine the psychological i'm
pact on a bus full Of people to
have the announcer say that a
bomb had fallen in Washington, .
he said.
Boycott Mentioned"
He said the factor of a boy
colt has been mentioned"
Lets not let that idea get
COOL" he urged. Later, another
witness proposed a boycott Of ad-
vertisers using the broadcasts. He
gave his name as Roy Bieber, "a
veteran Of three wars"
Lawrence Koenigsberger, the
Districts one-man Board Of Tax
Appeals, declared that "a trans
J portation utility has no moral
right to force sounds on such
an audience.
mo person should be forced
to hear even his fayorite COM
j positions at such times as he pre-
fers silence" he asserted.
That part Of his testimony
:. echoed the sentiment Of Miss Eda
Burlack, q retired Central High
School teacher, who said she lis
tened to a Strauss waltz played
!, over the transit radio and haven't
, listened to a Strauss waltz since
II Calls for aStmnle Arithmetic. -.