Evening star., 1952-02-05
ParIey
Set on Maryland
Transit Service
Baltimore Hearings
On CurtuiIing Of Lines
Put Off Indefinitely
By Wilton A. MiIlen

By Williom A. Millen
An informal conference win be-
held IN Baltimore Thursday to
seek q satisfactory solution to
Capital Transit Co.'S latest pro-
posal for curtailing services to
Prince Georges and Montgomery
Counties.
Meanwhile. hearings before the
Maryland Public Service CommiS.
sion on the Capital Transit petit
tion scheduled for tomorrow and
Thursday have been indefinitely
postponed.
Peoples Counsel Joseph Allen
said the commission has approved
the conference between repre-
|sentativeS Of Capital Transit, and
the governments and other inter-
|ested groups Of the two countries.
Reeves Can't Attend.
A spokesman for Capital Trans
ut said today the utility's attor-
|ney, F. Lloyd Await, and engineer,
Dean Locke. win attend the meet
ling, which is scheduled for 1880
am. in the commissions Office.
One other consideration in the
postponment of the hearings Is
the inability Of John r. Reeves
Ito be present tomorrow. Mr..
Reeves who is Secretary Of State
for Maryland and also represents
some Montgomery County civic
and business interests opposing
the petition, has to attend the
opening of the Maryland Gem
eral Assembly In Annapolis to.
morrow.
Walter 8. Steele, chairman Of
the Co-ordinating Committee Of
the Old Georgetown Road Citi-
zens' Association, comprising eight
local associations In that area,
attended meeting in Baltimore
yesterday with Mr.. Reeves and
commission representatives. Mr..
Steele said his group has retained
w. Baldwin Buchanan, Washing
ton accountant, and DR.. Lionel
Thatcher, head of the Public Serv-
ice School at the University Of
Maryland. to aid In fighting the
Capital Transit case.
Federation Asks Inquiry.
The Montgomery County Civic
Federation last night called for
an investigation Of the aims, OBJ
ljectives and actions Of Capital
Transit.
The federation approved q re-
quest to the Maryland PSC, the
District Public Utilities Commis-
sion. the Interstate Commerce
ICOMmission and congressional
committees for an inquiry into the
"inequities and hardships imposed
upon the transit-riding public Of
the contiguous Maryland area by
the continued application Of an
arbitrary fare and service demar-
cation at the borderline between
the District and Maryland"
Directors Quit In Baltimore.
Meanwhile, In Baltimore, Presi.
dent August B. Haneke and 10 Of
the Is directors Of the Baltimore
Transit Co. turned in their resig.
nations with only the explanation
that the company required "dif.
lferent management philosophy"
The surprise designations came
just one week after settlement Of
an 1S-day strike by operators and
mechanics df Baltimore buses and
trolleys.
Mr.. Haneke was scheduled to
appear before a Baltimore grand
Jury today to be questioned as to
whether any laws were broken
during the prolonged walkout.
Clayton G. Perry. president Of the
1900 AFL Transit Workers, who
staked the strike, also was called
before the jury.
Bill May Be Offered.
A bill to curb the type Of strike
Baltimore weathered last month
may be introduced In the General
Assembly. which opens It's 1861
session in Annapolis tomorrow.
State Senator Edward Turner,
Democrat Of Queen Annes, indi-
Gated he would push legislation to
Icurtail all public utility strikes
despite unfavorable reaction to the
proposal by labor leaders at q pubs
lie hearing last night at Annapolis.
Mr.. Turner proposes q 90-day
cooling OF period before utility
workers could strike. A union
could be fined 5000 If 1t did not
lgive the 80 days notice and the
company would go into automatic
|receivership right after the Public
Service Commission received the
notice. Then the receiver would
carry on negotiations with the