Evening star., 1953-08-31
Hyde 10 Push
Plans for Area
Transit Body
Sees No Need for
Further Study Of
Transportation Here
BY Harold B. Rogers

By Harold B. Rogers
The long controversy over
proposed regulation of public
passenger carriers in the Wash
ington Metropolitan Area is
headed for fresh consideration
in the next congressional session
in January.
Representative Hyde. Repub-
lican. of Maryland says he plans
to revise his pending bill for q
three-member commission to
control public transportation in
Greater Washington.
Dissatisfied with legislat on
for this purpose which twice has
passed the Senate, he already
has made a careful study Of
legal problems involved and
hopes to have a new bill ready
for consideration when Congress
reconvenes.
Many changes will have to be
made to perfect pending legisla-
ton for such regulation, he feels.
Furthermore he said he has
completely abandoned the idea
that any new study" should be
made Of problems in the area.
Action is needed now to regulate
public carriers, he believes. This
position twice has been reg
istered by Senate votes.
Senate Study Launched.
In the meantime, he pointed
out a Senate District subcom-
mittee already has launched a
new study and comprehensive
investigation into all public
transportation lines serving the
District. This group headed by
Senator Payne, Republican. of
Maine, plans public hearings in
the fall prior to reconvening Of
Congress. Data for these hear
ings now are being prepared by
the engineering and accounting
firm of Ernst and Ernst.
Several pieces of legislation
dealing with the regulatory body
and the study commission are
left over from the first session Of
the 83d Congress, and are pend
ing for action at the second ses-
sion.
One Senate-passed bill for a
regulatory body is before the
House Interstate and Foreign
Commerce Committee, along with
an almost identical measure
sponsored by Mr.. Hyde.
Senate Bill Passed.
A second different Senate
passed bill to regulate transit
services in the Metropolitan Area
is on the desk of House Speaker
Martin. This measure also car
ries similar provisions of a
House-passed bill for an IL
member commission to make an
overall study of transportation.
highways and bridges.
This second piece of legisla-
tion is in an unusual position.
It is a House-passed measure
for the study commission to
which the Senate added the
regulatory body, and sent it back
to the House.
Because the House-approved
bill originally came out of the
House District Committee it
normally would await a recon-
mendation from the District
group as to whether to agree
to the Senate amendments or
disagree to the Senate action
and send the bill to conference.
Representative Hyde, however.
said he is not satisfied with the
latest combination measure for
two reasons. He has told this to
the District group of which he
is a member. He feels the Ian
guage for a three-member regu-
latory body is inadequate.
Sees No Need For Study.
Also, after making more in
tensive study of the study COM
mission proposal, he feels there
is no need for such a study.
Pointing to a big document
on his desk, he said it was evi-
dence of such a comprehensive
study of such problems. 1t is
Volume Four of the Washington
Metropolitan Area Transporta-
ton study. containing q Rec
commended Highway Improve
ment Program for the Washing
ton Metropolitan Area" It was
issued last October by the Re-
gional Highway Planning Corn
mittee. This committee included
officials of the District, Virginia
and Maryland.
Therefore, it seems to me-" he
said, that it would be a waste
of time and money to make an
other study"
The problems of transporta-
ton by public utilities in tbs
area now is legal question:" he
emphasized. IF and how can
one commission be set up to reg
ulate public carriers in the en-
tire area? We will never get the
final answer till We get to court"
Some Officials Oject.
Although regional officials Of
nearby Virginia have testified on
the Senate side of the Capital
urging a regulatory body, Mr..
Hyde said objections have come
from Virginia State level officials
and some Virginia members Of
Congress.
The Maryland attorney said he
already has held lengthy con-
ferences with lawyers of wide ex-
perience in interstate problems.
They raised several questions
about the present language in the
Senate-passed bill.
In view of this M. Hyde said
he is pursuing his Investigation
in the hope of writing a new,
more clearly constitutional, and