Evening star., 1955-07-14
No Reason for Seizure

No Reason tor Seizure
We believe that more time and ex-
animation of its probable consequences
will dissuade both the Commissioners and
Congress from the drastic step of at
tempting to seize and operate the transit
company as way out of this strike.
1t would be astonishing indeed If
Congress enacted such legislation. The
precedent involved is serious and far
reaching. The legal difficulties are COM
plicated. There are transit strikes all
over this country, involving the same
set of circumstances that have led to this
one in Washington. The sole reason for
asking Congress to do here what 1t has
consistently refused to do in peacetime,
to meet situations far more serious, is
that Mr.. Wolfson is unpopular and we
@ould get rid of him! That sentiment
Provides no sound basis for SO drastic an
Undertaking.
B Aside from the legal difficulties in
Wlved, to seize the transit company
Would be to unload, on the local taxpayer,
tie financial obligations OF public owner
Management of the transit company to
tie same group of red-tape-ridden bu-
reaucrats at the District Building whose
Own fumbling and indecision in the past
Have been contributing factor to the
present. impasse. 1t would give the signal
D other unions, in other public utilities,
Tat the way to get their demands ac-
opted is to tie up the service, force the
company into public ownership and let
the public hold the bag. The Star re-
fuses to believe that Congress will take
any such action, and regrets that our
Commissioners have even considered it.
\ Senator Morse's proposal for cancel
lation of the company's franchise. on 2
Years notice, has more merit than sell
zilre. It is by no means free OF other
complications. The advantage OF such
step is that it might avoid forcing the
local taxpayer to purchase MIR. Wolfson's
obsolescent equipment at inflated book
vRlue. Clouding with doubt the whole
future of the company, as we'll as the
present unions pension and other COM
pany relationships, 1t conceivably could
force settlement. 1t might transfer to
the owners of the company the expense
df what is doubtless inevitable anyway,
8moval of the street car tracks and re-
having the streets. It would leave the
city in position to negotiate, with pos
Sb!e bidders, franchise which is more
realistic than the one on the books to-
day. Mr.. Wolfson, in his testimony,
offered to provide standby service in the
interval before revocation Of his fran
chise and liquidation of the company's
property here. He is probably just as
anxious to get out Of Washington as
Washington is to get rid OF him
If Congress is to take the step Of
Qualifying a franchise because Of COM
nany's failure to reach agreement with
union, however, there is the possibility
hat other utilities in Washington will be
adversely affected in their search for
capital to finance expansion. What hap
hens to one company can happen to an
6ther. That is serious implication
xhich requires more study than 1t has
{eceived.
If we were proceeding in more
WTQSTly UlICCUlOI w bIIC NCAJ AO0A paw
hm represented in this strike, and doing
20 in an atmosphere less clouded by
knimosity toward the individual, Wolfson,
he only legislation that Congress would
consider at this time would be fair and
lust relief for the company from certain
financial burdens that it should not bear.
accompanying such relief by Congress.
mere should be an effort by the Public
Utilities Commission to speed its own con-
liberation of the facts supporting need
xor higher fares. The commission moves
1T snails pace. In the ordinary course
III events it will not get down to making
aip its mind on the companys petition,
hefore 1t since early in June, until Sep
Hember. That time could be greatly re-
Auced, not by changing any laws or
compromising the commissions integrity,
nut by speeding up It's archaic and cum
Nersome procedures that are enough IN
themselves to put any company on the
locks.