Evening star., 1955-06-28
Senators Push
Plans 10 Avert
Transit Strike
Hopes Are Pinned
On Arbitration or
Aid for Company

ANY hope of averting a Capital
Transit strike Thursday mid
night appeared to revolve today
around two possibilities-arbi-
tration or some financial aid for
the company.
Both of these methods were
being pushed by the highly in
fluential Senate District Com
mittee, which has stepped into
the critical situation with the
aim of heading off what could be
a long and costly transit tie-dp.
With negotiators deadlocked
as hopelessly today as they were
nine weeks ago. it apparently will
require some strong outside ef-
fort to relieve the log-jam before
the strike deadline.
Representatives of the COM
pany and the AFL transit union
were to go into. another bar
gaining session at ! pm. A two
hour conference steered by Fed
eral meoiators yesterday pro-
duced nothing. The union again
offered to arbitrate and was
turned down by the company.
Asks Contract Continuance
The company again pleaded
financial inability to give the
unioA any wage or pension con-
cessions, and stuck by its only
"offer" TO date: A six-month
continuance of the present con-
tract
Hoping for the best but fear
ing the worst, the Commissioners
adopted an emergency plan to
handle the heavy increase OF
traffic a strike would bring. This
will open up parking in normally
restricted streets and zones, and
even allow parking on some
streetcar tracks. Police will have
no days of or annual leave dur
ing a strike period.
In addition to the added traf-
fic load, surveys have shown that
crime rates pick up during long
transit strikes. In the two-month
Detroit strike of 1851, crime
SCARED 20 per cent, one confiden-
tial source revealed.
Ram-rodded by Senator Morse
Democrat, of Oregon, and Chair
man Neely of West Virginia, the
Senate District Committee
adopted a resolution by Senator
Morse to send a letter to the
Commissioners, company and
union urging a strike-saving set
tlement.
Three Points Made
The resolution made three
points:
1. The parties should try to
settle their differences without
q strike or lockout, giving con-
sideration to "the desirability of
arbitration"
2. The committee stood ready
to offer its good Offices" in set
ting the dispute.
3. Advised the Commissioner:
that immediate consideration
should be given to any propose
for making available to Capita
Transit any financial aid "they
can show on the merits they are
entitled to by way of supplying
the District with mass transpor-
tation service"
The company's continuous de.
clines in revenues and riders
with requests for rate increases
has been a vital factor in the
present negotiations. Rising
awareness of the situation ir
Congress was shown by yester.
days Senate District Committee
action.
What financial relief could be
given, or promised the company
in substantial terms to break the
negotiating deadlock was not al
together clear. But the company
has asked for relief from about
$500. 1000 in gross receipts taxes
paid the District, and wants ar
increase in the Scent school bus
fare. Both these matters coulc
be legislated if Congress saw fit
The Morse resolution wa.
adopted, 6 to l. The sole dis
senter was Senator Case, Re.
publican, of New Jersey. who
thought the committee was in.
tervening prematurely, and wa.
Continued ON Pare A.4. Col.