Evening star., 1955-07-22

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urged that this right be spelled
out more clearly in the Com
missioners' bill.
He conceded, under question
ing by Senator Case, that the
union had made no counteroffer
to that proposed by the CON-
Ipany, but insisted again that
I"our proposals are bargain
able"
Mr.. Broadwater said the COM
Ipany objects to the charge in
the bill that it has failed to
render adequate service and
pointed out that Capital Tran
sit is not on strike, the union is.
Moves to Amend
He said the proposed bill
would not allow the Commits
sioners to provide service in
Maryland. Later, Mr.. Spencer
requested an amendment to per-
nit this, after Mr.. Mclaughlin
said he had been assured by a
member of the Maryland Pub
Ilic Service Commission that it
would approve such operation
lii the Commissioners had power
Ito provide it.
Commenting on the scope of
the proposed legislation, Mr.,
Broadwater said the 'Cemmis-
sioners may have authority to
sell such assets Of the company
as may be required to raise
money if they didn'. get enough
money from fares"
Repeating his offer to the
union, he said it would amount
to an increase of about 512 per
cent. The Washington Gas Light
Co., he declared. had settled the
day before with its workers for
an increase of about 4 per cent.
with the continued demands
of labor in a regulated indus
try he added. "how much far
ther can transit go without CIV
ing any consideration to the
owners?"
He offered two editorials from
The Star for inclusion in the
record as recommended reading
to the members of the Senate
District subcommittee.
Edmund L. Jones. Capital
Transit general counsel, raised a
question of whether the Com
missioners, as proposed in the
bill. can be given power to lab
solve themselves from any LA
bility" for actions while in con-
troll of the company.
"If they cannot be sued" he
said, "the company wouldn't be
able to sue for just compensa-
ton. I don't think the authors
intended to go so far"
Liability for Accidents
Mr.. Harrison insisted the COM
pany would continue to bear
liability for any accidents that
might occur. Senator Morse said
this would be similar to wartime
seizures made by the Federal
Government.
Mr.. Jones called it "sort of like
the case of the man who would
like to have his cake and eat it,
too.
"The Commissioners would be
in control, but everything they
do would be in behalf of Capital
Transit. he said.
| Mr.. Broadwater made a strong
tplea for Congressional action on
proposals to give the company
financial relief.
1T was one of the things that
Imotivated me to make that Offer
to the union, he said.
"I've been waiting for years
for Congress to act on that pid-
ding school bill" Both houses
of Congress have passed differ
ent bills to let the Public Utili-
ties Commission raise school
children's fares from the statu-
tory 3 cents to half the adult
fare, but both measures are hung
UP in the House and Senate
District Committees"
The Commissioners seizure
proposal was Endorsed by j. C.
Turner, vice president of the
Washington Central Labor I'm
ion, who declared cancellation
of the company's franchise
would take some Of the water
out of the inflated valuation"
placed on the transit properties.
A telegram from George o.
Butler, president of the Fedora
tion of Civic Associations, also
supported the Commissioners
proposal and said the federation
would oppose any permanent
solution which does not provide
'lfor new management"