Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-01
Bottle Expected
In House Over
CTC Franchise
BY DON S. WARREN

|pected to act Thursday on oppo-
site measures for dealing with
Washington's transit problem.
Before the House is a bill to
restore the franchise to the Cap
ital Transit Co. with tax and
other concessions to the COM
pany, whose present permit Is
scheduled to die on August IA.
Unless the Senate adjourns
Thursday out Of respect to Sem
Iator Barley. it Is anticipated it
will take up the bill from its Dis
|trict Committee to create a
Washington metropolitan tran
sit authority to take over the
transit operation
Passage of the two conflicting
measures would present a diff
cult job Of compromise between
the two houses.
House Battle Expected
Congressional spokesman last
might noted that some agree
Iment would have to be reached
III Washington is not to be left
without public transportation
this summer
Most Capitol Hill veterans are
careful to avoid predictions as
to what the House might do,
While hot debate is anticipated
over the bill to restore the fran
Ichise to the company controlled
by a syndicate headed by Florida
Millionaire Louis E. Wolfson,
some House members expect the
House will pass the bill as re-
ported from the House Interstate
and Foreign Commerce Com
Imittee.
One leading member of the
House, who did not want to be
quoted, said: This is q serious
proposition concerning the PEG.
pie of the District of Columbia.
If there are those members of
the House who want to take an
irresponsible position as to their
responsibilities toward the riders
of mass transportation in the
District, that is up to their own
conscience. Frankly, we do not
know what will happen after
next August is when, by act Of
Congress of last summer, in the
closing days of that session,
Congress decided to revoke the
franchise and charter of the
Capital Transit Co. next Au-
gust"
Open to Amendments
The House Rules Committee
ALREADY has cleared the so-called
restoration bill for House action.
This is an open rule which would
permit any germane amendment
from any member on the floor.
This promises a hot fight because
some key members have indicated
they would not vote for any bill
that would restore the franchise,
with big concessions, to the Capt.
tai Transit Co. as long as it was
dominated by the Wolfson syndi-
cate. Z"
On the Senate side, the sailing
seems to be little simpler. But
the vote there on creation of q
public transit authority is ex-
pected to meet with some OPP
position.
The Senate District Commit
tee has reported a bill to create
what is called an interim" au-
thority. This has been cleared
for action on Thursday.
The Senate bill would con.
stitute the District Commission.
ers as a Washington Metropoli-
tan Transit Authority to take
over operation of the mass trans
portation system next August Is
for a three-year period.
Sale Negotiation Provided
They would be authorized not
only to take over the service but
to negotiate during the three
years for the sale of the system
to any qualified and financially
responsible authority they might
find. If they could not find a
private operator after three
years. the interim authority then
would become permanent, with
five members of a new public
transit authority to be appointed
by the Board of Commissioners.
The Senate bill also proposes
that the Government make q
loan of up to $40 million to the
District Commissioners to start
the operation of the public
transit authority.
II no new private operator
could be found, then the Com
missioners would be authorized
to issue revenue bonds to pay
off the loan and to put the pub
lie authority on its own financial