Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-28
Senator Urges
New Hearing on
Authority Plan
AIIott Doubts Merit
OfCIeveIond Tronsit,
Cites Stur's Survey


Senator AIlott, Republican Of
Colorado. today voiced great
concern over the proposed crea-
ton of q Government authority
to take over operation of Wash
ington's mass transportation
system next August and called
on District Committee Chairman
Nicely to reopen hearings.
The Colorado Senator made a
particular point that the Senate
committee had been told of the
success of the public transit
authority operation in Cleveland
but that its manager, Donald
Hyde, had failed to mention a
$32 million bond issue to provide
a distribution subway to make a
rapid system effective.
In a letter to Chairman Nicely,
Senator Allott said that in re-
examining the testimony given
by Mr.. Hyde there had been very
little. If any, cross-examination
OF his testimony and he added:
II do not find where he
mentioned the proposed $32 mil
lion construction for distribu-
ton subway to be paid for
Cuyahoga County. 1t seems i'm
possible to me that he would
have completely failed to mention
this in his so-called successful
operation"
Star Article in Record
Senator Allott reminded
Chairman Nicely also that at
the close of the Senate COM
mittee hearings he had placed
in its hearing record al. article
by William Hines of The Star.
He said that he found that this
article was written after a care
full personal examination and
that it raised these two ques-
tons:
/. Whether the Cleveland
authority can be success when
its future success is dependent on
q $32 million subsidy to be paid
for by the taxpayers as a whole;
2. Whether the records of
the Cleveland authority are kept
in such a way or manner that it
Is possible to tell what is the
average fare or the average
number Of passengers during the
course Of a year"
Major Questions Raised
Senator Allott said these is
sues raise such serious questions
concerning the successful oper-I
alton of that tClevelandD au-t
thority as to cast doubt upon
the successful operation of our
own authority-if we should
pass one"
He added:
1--WE already have been served
with notice by employees (of the
Capital Transit Co., whose fran
chise dies next August 14> that
they are seeking and will seek
additional raises, but If the tax
exemptions are to operate fairly
they should also operate in
favor Of the public by reduced
fares and additional services.
I'm view of the foregoing and
with full realization that time
Is pressing in this matter. it,
seems advisable to me that Mr..
Hines should be interviewed by
members of the committee staff
and that the staff interview such
other persons whose names can
be supplied concerning the ac-
tual situation with the Cleve-
land authority.
Doubtful Of Success
"While the Cleveland author |
ity is not at issue here, we seem
to be proceeding upon the as
sumption that 1t is successful
and unsubsidized, and for my
self. I must say that l am not
willing to proceed further on
that assumption at the present
time" /
Senator Allott also suggested /
1t would be possible for the Dis
trict Committee to call indie
pendent engineering experts for
advice as to the technical as
poets Of a public transit oper-
alton.
Chairman Nicely was not i'm
mediately available for his re-
action to the move to reopen
the hearings.