Evening star., 1952-03-03
Mcmillan 10 Discuss
Capital Transit Study
With Patterson Today
Report Recommends ICC
Replace PUG Regulation;
Meeting Set Wednesday

A conference between Chairman
Mcmillan of the House District
Committee and Representative
Patterson. Republican, of Con-
necticut on Mr.. Patterson's study
of the Capital Transit Co. was the
latest development today in the
controversial transit situation.
Mr.. Patterson was named by
Mr.. Mcmillan to conduct a one
man inquiry into the transit firms
policies. He has almost completed
the report and may submit it to
Mr.. Mcmillan today.
It calls for a full investigation of
Capital Transit Co. and recon-
mends that the Interstate Com
n1erce Commission be given juris-
diction over the company instead
of the District Public Utilities
Commission.
Discuss Size Of Report.
Mr.. Patterson said he wanted to
talk the matter over with Mr..
Mcmillan to determine how vol
luminous the report should be.
Mr.. Mcmillan has called a meet
ing Of the House District Com
mittee for 10 am. Wednesday to
consider Mr.. Patterson's report.
The committee will try to decide
whether an investigation is war
ranted.
Mr.. Patterson's recommendation
that the ICC take over the regu-
lation of the transit firm met
with guarded comment.
John L. Rogers, ICC chairman.
said he would have to study the
proposal before he could comment.
James H. Flanagan, chairman of
the PUG, said he felt it would be
inappropriate for him to express
his views at this time.
Mcmillan Won't Comment.
Mr.. Mcmillan said:
II can't comment on that now.
I don't know if the PUG has
fallen down on the job. I would
not want to take jurisdiction
from them if they haven't"
The furor over Capital Transit
Co. policies came to a head last
week when J. A. B. Broadwater,
transit president, made a speech
in which he said the company
should either be allowed to make
a rs per cent profit or be bought
out by a municipal transit au-
thority. The situation has been
complicated by the transit firm
declaring increased dividends at
a time when it is pleading pow
erty
Would Need Larger Staff.
ICC officials, who would not be
quoted, pointed out that if Con-
gress gave the commission respQn-
sibility for the regulation of Capt.
tai Transit. 1t would require money
and a staff. The ICC deals only
with interstate operations now
and regulation Of a local transit
line would be new to the agency. :.
However, the District is a special
case. it was pointed out, and any,
thing that Congress decides to do
in the situation would have to be
worked out in accordance with the
law passed.
The ICC does regulate part of
the Capital Transit operation now.
It fixes fares to the Pentagon, an
interstate operation of the transit
firm.
Mr.. Patterson's feeling on shift
ing jurisdiction to the ICC is that
the commission would be al
tougher boss of the transit firm
than the PUG has been.
Crawford Backs View.
Support for this view also came
from Representative Crawford,
Republican, Of Michigan. AL
though not a member Of the House
District Committee, Mr.. Crawford
has interested himself in Capital
Co. and has been critical
of its dividend policies.
Mr.. Crawford said he favored
The ICC taking over regulatory
He said the ICC had
competent staff and is used to
working with all types of trans
,ortation problems on a country
vide basis.
The ICC knows how to cross
'ection any proposal" he de-
;lared. by cross section / mean
hey have the stan to spade into
t, to cut it to pieces and to
mell Il" !