Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-22
Broyhi|| Rdps
D. {. Heads on
Transit Stand
Hits Refusal to Offer
Bell Plan; House Due
To Pick Conferees

Representative Broyhill, Re-
publican of Virginia, charged
today that the District Com
missioners, although paying lip
service to private ownership, y
have actually discouraged pri-
vate operation of Washington S
transit system.
Mr.. Broyhill disclosed that,
two weeks before the Senate Dis
trict Committee cleared the pub
lie authority measure, the Com
missioners refused to present a
plan for private operation of
Capital Transit Co. facilities to
the committee.
This plan was discussed with
the Commissioners by reputable
and financially responsible peo-
pie, including Daniel Bell, presi-
dent of the American Security
g. Trust Co." Mr.. Broyhill said
House to Name COnfereeS
Meanwhile, Chairman Priest of
the House Interstate and Foreign
Commerce Committee said House
confereeS on the Washington
transit crisis would be appointed
today. The Senate named five
conferees on Friday after re-
jecting House bill to restore
the Capital Transit franchise.
The franchise is scheduled to die
By act of Congress next August IA.
While the House has approved
Of restoring the franchise, the
Senate has passed a bill which
would set up a publicly owned
Washington Metropolitan Transit
Authority to take over mass
transportation when the CTC
Franchise expires. House and
Senate confereeS will face the
job of reconciling these two di-
ametrically opposed measures.
Mclaughlin Comments
President Robert E. McLaugh-
lin of the Board of Commission
ers said of Mr.. Bells pro-
posal; I'VE had an understand
ing of this as an idea, or plan,
but there have been other ideas"
which have failed to develop.
"There has been no implement
tation of this, and the company
hasn't even taken any action to
carry it out"
Would Buy Out WOIfsOn
Mr.. Bells proposal calls for
the company itself to buy out
the stock of Louis E. Wolfson,
its controlling stakeholder. US
ing the proceeds of mortgage
bonds on company real estate.
OF the request to help present
the Bell plan to the Senate COM
mittee, Mr.. Mclaughlin said the
Commissioners felt they had
fully informed Congress of their
own views in support of a pub
licly owned transit authority. but
had no objection to others pre-
senting the Bell plan-"as a
plan"-to either the House or
Senate committee.
Engineer Commissioner Thomas
A. Lane was in Boston until Fri
day and was unavailable for
comment.
Karrick Gives Views
Commissioner David B. Kar-
rick. who took Office only two
weeks before the Senate District
Committee acted, said he had
taken no substantial role in the
transit crisis. However, he de-
clared. he would find acceptable
either the interim authority
plan approved by the Senate, or
an interim restoration of the
Capital Transit franchise.
AS a businessman" he said,
81 am not antagonistic toward
restoration. and cannot get my
self worked into any state Of
indignation over who owns the
shares" of the company's stock.
This was a reference to those
who have campaigned for can
collation. of the etc franchise
as a means of Kidding Washing
ton of the influence of Mr.. Wolf
son.
Mr.. Broyhill asserted:
Mr.. Bell and his associates
requested the Commissioners to
present the plan to the Senate
committee in executive session so
that the committee members
would have before them a legiti-
mate solution of the public VS..
private ownership controversy
Both the Commissioners and the
members of the Senate commit
tee have said they favor private
operation.
1t would appear that the
Commissioners were only paying
lip service to private ownership.
See TRANSIT, Page AS