Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-20
House NayAct
Today on Area
Mass Transit
Senute-Pussed Bill
Would Set Up Two
Commissions Here

By Harold B. Rogers
The House may act today on
Senate-passed legislation to set
up two different Metropolitan
Area commissions designed to
mass transportation in
the Washington area.
Approved by the Senate in .
surprise move during last nights
session. the bill in the form Of
a conference report would
establish these two bodies:
/. The Me tropolitan Area
Transit Commission of three
members appointed by the
President to regulate mass trans
portation in the District and
nearby Maryland, but not in
Virginia.
2. The Metropolitan Washing
ton Commission Of nine members
appointed by the President to
make a study and recommends
tons to Congress on highway,
bridge and traffic problems
affecting the District and nearby
Virginia and Maryland counties.
Attack Fails.
Controversy has centered on
the two proposals for nearly
two years. The compromise
version passed by the Senate
weathered an attack on the floor
and swept through on a voice
vote.
The measure for the study
commission originated in the
House District Committee. was
amended in the Senate by addi-
ton Of the regulatory group and
was worked into compromise
form by conferees from both
House and Senate.
The final version now goes to
the House Speakers desk. It
could be called up by one Of the
House conferees on authority Of
the District Committee. The
House conferees are Representa-
tives Kearns. Republican. Of
Pennsylvania; Broyhill. Repuh-
lican, of Virginia. and Davis,
Democrat, of Georgia.
Hyde Delighted.
Representative Hyde Repub-
lican, of Maryland, advocate Of
the regulatory commission. said
he was delighted at the action
of the Senate. The conferees. he
said, were unanimous in approx
ing the final version of the meas
ure for two commissions, and so
far as he knows there is no OBJ
lection by House members.
sss Virginians in the House had
objected strongly to the regula-
tory body, so the conferees elimi-
mated Virginia from it's provi-
sionS.
The original sponsor Of the
study commission bill, Repre-
sentative Broyhill. has voiced his
strong support of the compro-
mise version.
In the Senate, the measure
was called up by Senator Schoep-
pei, Republican, of Kansas, one
of the conferees, who explained
the measure and asked for its
approval.
Recommittal Fails.
A move to recommit the
measure to conferees with in
structions to eliminate the reg
ulatory body failed.
The motion to recommit was
made by Senator Payne. Repub-
hcan, of Maine, chairman of a
special three-member subcom-
mittee of the Senate District
Committee, which made a
lengthy investigation of mass
transportation during this ses-
sion of Congress.
He said he strongly favored the
principle of a regulatory body
for the entire Metropolitan
Area. He pointed out such a
commission had been proposed
originally in a bill sponsored by
Senator Johnson, Democrat, Of
Colorado. and approved by the
Senate. But the nearby Vir-
ginia area had been stripped
from the johnson part of the
bill by conferees. he told the
Senate. No hearings had been
held on the revised section
eliminating Virginia. he pointed
out.
Referring to the "fine work"
the new Public Utilities Commits
sion now is doing. the Senator
said "it might be just as well
to move a little less fast" in act
ing on the new regulatory COM
mission bill.
Memo Put In Record.
He filed in the record the
Memo Of Understanding" be-
tween the utilities commission
and the Capital Transit Co..
which the Senator said embraced
some recommendations made by
his investigating committee.
Also filed was an editorial from
The Star. calling the compromise
bill "unwise."
Senator Morse. Independent.
OF Oregon. a member Of the
Payne investigating committee,
Joined Senator Payne in asking
the measure be recommitted.
The Payne motion to recon-
NIT was defeated by voice vote.
and the Senate again by voice
vote. then approved the confer
ence report. Later Chairman
Case of the Senate District Com
mittee moved to reconsider the
Senate action. but he withdrew
this motion after conference
with Republican Floor Leader
Knowland.
The regulatory commission
would control public transporta-
ton by streetcar. notorious or
taxicab in the District and the