Evening star., 1955-07-08

PAWS opposition to them. He
said they require months of
hearings and then they involve
retroactive pay increases for
periods in which the company
has received no additional reve-
nues to cover them.
Then he said. the company
must wait while the utilities
commission decides how much
of e rate increase to let the
company have.
Problem Is Money
Supporting his contention that
the company simply does not
have the income to bargain real
Iistically with the union, Mr..
Br,adwater declared:
Il all not opposed to paying
good wages to the employees of
the Capital Transit Co. They
have done a magnificent job. I
don't object to them asking for
more money. ! think they are
PROBABLY entitled to more money.
But the problem is where are
YOU going to get it? Where are
vol going to get the money!"
Mr.. Broadwater prefaced his
attack on Mr.. Mclaughlin and
Mr.. Weston by exempting from
his criticism the newly ap-
pointed chairman of the util-
tiles commission. George E. c
Hayes. and the new District
Engineer Commissioner, Brig.
Gen. Thomas A. Lane. who also
lis a member of the utilities COM
mission.
1T is my considered opin-
Iion." Mr.. Broadwater said. that
Chairman Hayes and Gen. Lane
intend to do the best they can
in good conscience with what
they have to do"
Views on Arbitration
Discussing arbitration, Mr.
Broadwater said 1t would re-
quire him to make a commit
ment for the expenditure of a
certain number of dollars and
then trust to somebody else's
judgment as to where I'm going
to get the money. I just. cannot
put my company in that posi-
tion."
Under questioning by Senator
Case, Republican of New Jersey
Mr.. Broadwater insisted, "You
can't operate under private en-
terprise If you choke it to death
by regulatory procedures.
GAS long as wages and salaries
go up, streetcar fares in Wash
ington will have to go up if it
is to remain as a private system
unless we receive some kind of
relief"
Senator Case hammered away
at Mr.. Bloadwater in an effort
to find out what attempts the
company has made to expand is
service. rather than curtail it,
in an attempt to increase busi-
ness.
1--WE have put on service
where we think there is a po-
territorial for it," Mr.. Broadwater
replied. Also. he said, the COM
Ipany had established bus routes
to the Districts new fringe park
ing lots. although we knew 1t
wasn't going to take and knew
lit was a losing operation"
Pressed by Senator Case to
know whether the company had
plans for future operations
which would make it possible
for you to operate at a fair
prolific make the company a
going operation" Mr.. Broad
water replied:
"You take the Public Utilities
Commission off my back and I'll
operate a system that will knock
your eye out"
The transit president ex-
Iplained that the company en-
Iploys about 80 men to check on
their service, duplicating similar
employees of the utilities COM
mission. Then, he said, they dis
agree on their figures. This, he
branded a useless waste OF
money"
Mr.. Broadwater also COM
planned that the company had
wasted a couple of hundred
thousand dollars on all this Legal
scrambling around here" when
the utilities commission went tc
court to block paying off of the
last of the company's bonds
Also, he complained. the COM
pany has to pay not only it,
own legal experts but those hired
by the utilities commission "fo1
cutting my throat. That ain't
fair"
ReSiSts Morse Pleas
, During the afternoon session
Mr.. Broadwater continued to re.
siSt efforts of Senator Morse tc
persuade him to submit the
strike issues to arbitration, de.
claring, Il haven't yet seen any
relief in sight on which I car
rely with any degree of certain.
ty to obligate the company"
Frank E Weakly, member ot
the Capital Transit Board O.
Directors and chairman of tn,
Board Of Directors of the Wash.
ington-Sheraton Hotels, backee
up the position of Mr.. Broad.
water.
He, too, contended there wa
no disagreement among Capita
Transit directors over the merit!
OF q pay raise and improvement
in working conditions for EN-.
ploves declaring, TT is a ques.
ton OF how to meet the pay.
ruents."
In a brief exchange with Sena.
, ator Morse, which saw Mr.
Weakly put under oath as {
witness. he objected to tn,
Oregon Democrats use of tn,
phrase "skimming of" of divi
IGAnHS The nlo Sh oracx - ~.