Evening star., 1953-03-13
Congress and CupituI Trunsit


The recent criticisms leveled at Capt.
tai Transit are mere reiterationS Of
those voiced year in and year out since
the WolfsonS took over operation Of
the D. c. transit system. Every year
We follow the same pattern of COM
plants, charges, and getting nowhere.
In the last two years Congress has
made grandioSe mouthings to the press
urging District residents to rise up and
fight these dragons. Silly people-they
did rise in protest! And what has it
netted them? Precisely nothing in the
way of improvements.
Washington's voteless and haraSsed
citizens are supposed to have in Sena-
tor Nicely and other congressional per-
sonalities. staunch friends ready to
come to their aid in times of need.
But it appears that the strength of that
friendship resides in newspaper head
lines and not in any profitable action.
I suggest that if Mr.. Nicely really
wants to hear what the people have to
say he look back in the files of bis own
committee and that of his colleagues
in the House to find out how much
they have already said. Let his right
hand men in the Senate know what
the left-hand men are doing in the
House! Why must we be subject to
more useless expenditure of time and
energy? We have said so much and
been heard so little up to now!
Constance Wrench.
There has been considerable discus
sion about the finances of the Capital
Transit Co. as well as some mention of
services of the company. There have
been some noteworthy omissions on
the positive side.
The company has won the national
safety award for larger transit COM
panies for the past eight consecutive
years. For similar number of years..
it has won the mechanical efficiency
award given each year by a national
trade magazine. Certainly this record
should not be overlooked. It is further
known fact that the Capital Transit
Co. has the largest fleet of mod
ern streetcars for company of its
size Of any in the country. The pro-
gram for the modernization Of the
bus feet has received scant mention
of the recent months. Many of the
riders pay little notice to the constant
program Of track renewal and rebuild
ing that goes on over the whole system.
It Is well to note that in other cities
of a comparable size or larger, the pri-
vate transit companies, while having
their financial troubles, are managing
to keep their vehicles running and yet
keep the fares on a near even par.
The municipality owned systems have
somewhat higher level fares in general
with not near as good service as our
own Capital Transit,
A sensible. well-rounded approach
seems advisable as to the solution.
Certainly the company has had good
experience in transit since 1888 end
should not be treated as an errant
stepchild. Ira w. Pearlman.
G. U. Inteqruted
A letter from "V. S. NICK" states:
''Prior to the recent Supreme Court
ruling on State colleges, Howard Uni
versity was, the only institution south
of the Mason-Dixon line whose gradu-
ate school, and schools of engineering
and architecture, were open to the COL
ored student" This is completely er-
roneouS.
Upon the opening of the Schools Of
Philosophy. Theology and Social Sci
ences at Catholic University, three COL
ored men applied for admission. In
reference to this. John j. Cain, first