Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-03-30
Morse Urges
Quick Action on
District Bridges
Reps Delay on Both
Potomac, Park Rood
Spans in Senute Talk
BY ALEX r. PRESTON

1 ~ NAAA<AA ASs = ANASO n OAN
Senator Morse, Democrat of
Oregon, a member of the District
Committee, has served notice on
Congress that it should stop
kicking around the bridge issue"
here.
He declared facetiously he has
almost reached the point of 'ac-
ceptng a swinging bridge rather
than suffer a continuance of the
congressional fight over whether
a Potomac River crossing shall be
drawbridge, stationary bridge
or a tunnel.
Senator Morse launched into
sort of general TRADE yesterday
against the bridge problems here
by opening the discussion with
the Park Road Bridge. He read
part of a story from a neigh
borhood shopping journal dis
cussing the closing of that span
last August and its effect in
bottlenecking traffic on Con-
necticut avenue, Porter and Six
Iteenth streets.
"As member of the District
Committee" the Oregonian told
the Senate, "let me say that in
addition to having the entire
article printed in the (Congres-
sionaD Record as a part of my
remarks, I intend to have it sent
to the District Commissioners,
because we are entitled to find
out from them Immediately
what the situation is and be-
cause the traffic problem in the
District Of Columbia is becoming
steadily worse.
Sympathizes With Citizens
II am fortunately situated be-
cause I live in a place 5000
Lowell street N.W.) where can
| get to and from the Capitol
without suffering too much from
traffic congestion. However, Il
have sympathy for my fellow
citizens in the District of CO.
lumbia and in Maryland and
Virginia.
Il make a plea again today,
as member of the Committee
on the District of Columbia, /
do not care very much what the
form Of the bridge or bridges is
to be-"
I'VE ought to stop talking
about "a bridge We ought to
start talking about bridges
They could be drawbridges or
stationary bridges.
I'm fact. l am almost ready to
accept swinging bridge, if it
would get people out of the traf-
fic jams. ! say that facetiously,
Of course.
| II will accept a drawbridge, a
stationary bridge. a tunnel. or
anything that will bring to an
end the annual hasSle in the
Congress as to what should be
done TO relieve the traffic Jam
every morning, which is costing
the taxpayers thousands of dol
lars annually because of the irri-
tations and the bad psychological
attitudes in which it places Gov
eminent workers. If nothing else.
Suggests Arbitration
There is no sense in further
kicking around the bridge issue.
II there are Senator's and Repre-
sentatives who wish to enter into
hassle over the question. sug-
gest an arbitration procedure.
Get them all in one room and let
us have an arbitration procedure
Or. for that matter. I would
accept the operation Of the law
OF chance in deciding as between
drawbridge and a stationary
bridge.
Speaking in dead seriousness.
the non-voting. high tax-paying
residents of the District OF CO.
lumbia are entitled to a couple
of bridges to relieve the traffic
jam morning and night across
the Potomac.
Il make this plea today as
insert in the Record this COM
ment about a bridge problem
within the District of Columbia.
Let us get on with the busi-
ness of building some bridges.
and stop the kind Of argument
which. if it occurred in cities in
our home States. would cause
the people to rise up in righteous
wrath and say. We are going to
have a bridge In such a situa-
ton We would not last long"