Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-05-23
Hits Exemption
Of lntrustute
Virginia Runs
BY GEORGE BEvERIDGE
star stan Writer

urged Congress today 10 insist
on several changes In the pro-
posed Maryland District Vir-
ginia compact TO set UP a WashE
ington area transit regulatory
commission.
His testimony before the
Joint Committee on Washing
ton Metro Problems clashed
with appeals yesterday from
Maryland and Virginia political
leaders that Congress approve
the compact in substantially
the same form that 1t was
passed by the Virginia Legisla-
ture earlier this year.
Any major changes insisted
upon by Congress presumably
would force the compact back
to Virginia for further consid-
Grafton. Congress must give
the District permission to enter
the proposed compact and also
waive certain Federal jurisdic-
ton over transit regulations.
Maryland officials expressed
confidence that their State Leg
islature would approve the com.
pact without change at its ses-
early next year and urged Con-
gress to act this session.
COmpact's Terms
A new commission would set
transit rates. service routes and
other controls for all transit
operations in this area-except
| for purely interstate service in
Virginia, which would remain
under local control. Proponents
contend this unified control
would improve service and gear
it to the needs of the area.
Mr.. Flanagan, however,
strongly attacked the exemption
of Virginia's interstate opera
tons, contending that mo real
compact can exist when one
jurisdiction reserves for itself
special rights which others don't
have" He suggested that the
Virginia provision be changed
Ito put everyone on the same
footing"
Virginia officials have argued
that their State constitution
places control over interstate
service in a State agency and
that a constitutional amend
ment would be required to
yield it.
Other Criticisms
On other points, Mr.. Flan-
agan called for compact
changes to provide five-year
fixed terms of service for COM
mission members, clearer def
milton of the rate of return to
be permitted for transit COM
panieS and elimination of a
veto power" given to jurisdic-
lions over matters affecting
them alone.
Under questioning by Com
mlttee Chairman Bible, Mr..
Flanagan said he is not CD.
posed to area wide regulation.
but that he feels the only real
solution to area-wide transit
problems is to place all facili-
ties under a single ownership.
He also warned he did not
feel the compact'S objective of
better service could be attained
without greatly increased costs
to passengers. He said the real
transit problem is that there
are too many automobiles"
and that if present trends con-
tinue, Il can see the posi-
bility of providing automobiles
with Stickers certifying a need
for travel in order that transit
be able to move"
Law This Year Doubted
Senator Bible, Democrat OF
| Nevada, promised to consider
the suggestion and said he
would order immediate work on
the compact legislation. He
said he doubted. however, that
Congress would be able to act
concluSively this session.
In another appearance, Louis
Justement, a Washington archi-
tect representing the American
Institute of Architects and the
Washington Building Congress,
urged the committee to press
for a rapid-tranSit rail system
as the basis for a solution to
the metro transportation ills.
Warning against "a defeatist
attitude" which holds that all
transportation problems have
to be solved by more and more
expressways, Mr.. Justement
said:
Somehow we seem to feel
that the auto has won and
there's nothing that can be
done about it. Sixty years ago
Congress rescued the Nations
Capital from the indiscrimi-
nate and implanted use of the
railroad. Today. the challenge
is that Of saving the city from
the indiScriminate and I'M
planned use of the automobile.
At the same time, Mr.. Juste-
ment said he recognizes the
great difficulties in setting up
an area wide political organi-
cation to develop rapid transit.
Instead. he proposed that
Congress create a Federal City
corporation" with powers to
plan. build and finance a rapid
transit system within the Dis
trict alone But the corpora
ton, he said, should have
power to negotiate with Mary
land and Virginia for extension
of the transit lines into the
suburbs.