Evening star., 1955-07-06
DONOHUE
Continued From First Page


over week ends and was unable
to attend today's meeting be-
tween company officials and the
c Commissioners.
Reached at his New York hotel
last night Mr.. Donohue declared:
Il have reached the conclusion
in my own mind that the pos
sibility of a subsidy operation
of Capital Transit should be
very seriously considered"
The former Commissioner said
that he is convinced that "in
the long run the. District would
be better off" Under a subsidy
operation of the Metropolitan
areas biggest transit company.
Notes Patronage Decline
He pointed out that the num-
Der of people relying on mass
transit has been steadily de
creasing since the war, here as
well as in other large cities. He
said that prosperity has enabled
more citizens to use automobiles
and taxicabs in preference to
buses and streetcars. He added
that with this factor, there are
not enough transit customers to
pay the price necessary to run
the transit system at profit.
And you just can't get fair
return on your stockholders in
vestment with constantly de-
|creasing patronage" Mr.. Dono-
hue said.
Mr.. Donohue emphasized that
he was speaking in general terms
lof the Capital Transit operation.
He pointed out that he has
missed, due to the New York
trial. the last three monthly
meetings Of the directors board.
Consequently. he pointed out, he
was not closely conversant with
the present union-management
dispute.
In this connection, he added,
he is readily available over the
week ends eff anyone wants to
call me in on this thing"
Importance Emphasized
Renewing his general ap-
ipraisal of the transit situation,
Mr.. Donohue pointed out that
public transportation Is as i'm
Iportant a necessity as sewer
and water service for a COM
Imunity.
"The function of an efficient
public transportation system has
to be performed" he said.
But lest that observation
would seem to be critical of the
Wol1son management of Capital
Transit, Mr.. Donohue added:
II want to be the first to say
that there isn't q more effici-
emily run transit system in terms
OF equipment. and service any,
where. It is the best managed
transit company in the country,
bar none. I can see the differ
ence simply by riding the New
York transit system.
Mr.. Donohue said that one
OF the big questions involved in
whether mass transit here should
be subsidized is whether the nom
transit user properly can be
required to help foot the bill.
He indicated strongly that he
felt non-riders should. One of
the big reasons for this, he
explained, is that a subsidy
operation would keep bringing
passengers downtown to shop,
thereby helping to preserve
business in the central areas.
Hits Delay on Fares
Mr.. Donohue incidentally
chided past members of the
Utilities Commission for failing
to take prompt action on Capital
Transit Company fare increase
petitions. He said he could not
see why the commission could
not either grant or deny the re-
quested increase in speedy
fashion.
why should the commission
have to be beaten over the head
for a decision one way or the
other?" Mr.. Donohue asked.
The CTC board member added
a sympathetic word for the
workers. who seek wage and
other benefits in their present
walkout.
II can understand union az