Evening star., 1955-07-24
Continued from First Page

I'VE have not lost hope Of an
early settlement" he said. Cur
rently there is some movement
of the parties in the right
direction"
The union executive commit
tee met virtually all day Friday
preventing union president Wal
ter j.. Bierwagen and Counsel
Bernard Cushman from attend
ing a mediation session originally
scheduled for that afternoon.
At 9:15 pm. tomorrow the
union has bought time for an
other of its television presenta-
tions over Station WTTG. Il
has been speculated that the
union may take this opportunity
to make a counter-offer.
Meeting Wednesday
On Tuesday at 8 pm. the
union will follow up with a full
membership meeting in the Ma
tional Guard Armory. Observers
feel that this series Of union &C
tivities gives strong indication OF
a counter-offer to the company
Among other developments is
the resumption tomorrow of the
Capital Transit rate case with
cross-examination Of company
witnesses due to begin at 10 am
While Brig. Gen. Thomas A
Lane, District Engineer Com
missioner, is appearing on Cap
itol Hill, his place on the Public
Utilities Commission for the rate
hearing will be taken by Col
Thaddeus Nosek, one of the
three Assistant Engineer Com
missionerS.
And later in the day. Senate
subcommittee handling tranSi.
strike legislation will meet tc
decide what, if any, strike legis-
lation it may recommend to the
Senate District Committee.
Compromise Studied
The Senate group is studying
a compromise between the Com.
missioners' bill and one pro.
posed by Senator Morse, Demo.
crat of Oregon. The result woulc
cancel the Capital Transit fran
chise and permit the city head!
to do one of two things: Seize
the company until the franchise
expires, or contract with othel
firms to provide transit service
Capitol Hill observers specu
lated that the Senate could pas
this measure, while the Hous'
might well pass the Broyhill in
junction-fact finding proposal. L
this should happen, they calcu
lated, the resulting Senate
House joint conference on th'
two measures could result in {
complete stalemate, leaving Con
gress on the verge of adjourn
ment without passing any leGis
lation at all.
Commissioner Mclaughlin. jus
after his radio appearance las
night said he doubts that Con
gress will adjourn without pass
ing a bill of some kind to ent
the strike"
Emergency Plea Possible
He added that the Commission
ers have not seriously discussed
the possibility of appealing tt
the White House to declare th'
transit strike a national emer
gency because of its impact OF
Federal installations in tn
Washington area. This cours
could stem from Congress fail
ure to enact legislation.
Mr.. Mclaughlin devoted mucl
of the program to a resume o
the events which led the Com
missioners to recommend com
pany seizure after cancellation
of the Capital Transit fran
chise.
He emphasized that the pur
pose of the Commissioners /
two-fold:
l. Immediate resumption o
mass transportation at reasona
BILE fares.
2. Protection of the publ
against a type of seizure of tn
company properties in order t.
provide transportation whicl
would leave this communit,
saddled with the properties AM
a lawsuit for full book valu
of the stock Of the company.
Sums Up 2 Positions
Mr.. Mclaughlin summed u
the positions of the two antag
onists this way:
Union - Making very hig
demands but always stating tha
their position is bargainable."
Company-"Its position is tha
it's income would first have t
be increased before it could s.
down and talk with the union
The Commissioner. formerl
chairman of the utilities com
mission, went on:
Let me say the company di
not mean 1t had no funds
enable it to make an offer.
was. saying we won't make a
offer until you give us the extr
income first.
Attitude Not Traditional
"That is not the tradition;
attitude of a public utility
bargaining with It's employe
The settlement is normal
reached first and then the util
ties commission Is requested
allow increase Of rates If nece'
sary to offset the increase
expenses"
The Capital Transit positiol
he continued, forced the Con
missioners to the conclusion th'
the management places its stool
holders above the public interes
and regardless Of the devotion
its property to public use, whie
is the basis Of its franchise, thI
it is quite willing to permit sue
strike deadlock -.