Evening star., 1952-02-05
Informal ParIey
SET on Maryland
Transit Service
Baltimore Hearings
On CurtoiIing of Lines
Put Off Indefinitely
By Waliom A. Millen

ny WilIom A. Mlilen
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
ton scheduled for tomorrow and
Thursday have been indefinitely
postponed. Originally, Montgom-
cry objectors to the curtailment
were to be heard tomorrow and
Prince Georges groups on Thurs
day.
Scheduled for 1O:3O AM.
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.
A. spokesman for Capital Trans
1t said today the utility's attor-
|ney, F. Lloyd Await, and engineer,
Dean Locke, will attend the meet
ing. which is scheduled for 10:30
am. in the commissions office.
One other consideration in the
|postponment Of the hearings Is
the inability Of John r. Reeves
to 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
leral Assembly in Annapolis to-
morrow.
Bethesda Hearing Considered.
Efforts are being made, If q
further formal hearing by the
Maryland Public Service Commis-
sion becomes necessary In the case.
to have it sit at Bethesda or some
other point more convenient than
Baltimore to residents Of the near
by counties.
Walter S. 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.
Walter F. Mulligan, president Of
the Prince Georges County Civic
Federation, said that, in conjunc-
ton with Montgomery County in
terests, a petition is being pre-
pared to Gov. McKeldin. Mr..
Mulligan said the plan is to ask
the Governor to appoint a fact
finding committee to go into all
details of Capital Transit's busi-
ness in Maryland. The Public
Service Commission would be
asked to defer any decision in the
current case, pending the report
Iof the Governors fact-flnding
group, Mr.. Mulligan said.
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 a re-
quest to the Maryland PSC, the
District Public Utilities Commits
sion, the Interstate Commerce
Commission 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"
The federation also demanded
lof those agencies a study and pub
lie report Of the present and fu-
ture transportation needs Of
Montgomery County.