Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-11-14

crIlmeNCAl machinery also was
urged by Charles G. Helmick Of
the Arlington Civic Federation.
Herbert P. Leeman of the
Federation Of Citizens Associa-
tons urged that streetcars be
saved. We should stress rapid
transit, he said, acquire rights
of-way now, build roads first
only IN areas Of light popula-
ton, set up a Federal authority
and seek a Federal subsidy.
Mrs. Haskell Rosenblum of
the District League of Women
Voters said that any transpor-
tation solution must be a met
ropolitan solution, not one linn
tied to benefits for a single
jurisdiction. Aesthetics and So
Geological experts should be
called in to Judge effects OF
freeways on the beauty of the
city and the relocation OF
families.
John R. liner, vice president
of the Dupont Circle Citizens
Association, urged strengthen
ing the downtown commercial
sections through emphasis on
mass transportation rather than
highways. But the transporta-
ton survey is too expensive, he
said.
Formation of a Federal
corporation to initiate work
toward an effective mass trans
portation program was urged
strongly by the Interfederation
Council of the Greater Wash
ington Area.
Fenwick Comment Heard
Darwin Stolzenbach, repre-
senting the council, followed
the dominant theme of the
weeks testimony in calling for
development of a rapid transit
system. He said the Mass
Transportation Survey, which
recommended such a system,
nevertheless placed undue en-
phasis on private automobiles
and called for stronger control
on highway use.
Saying that the corporation
should be succeeded by an in
terstate compact group later,
the civic leader asserted such
groups to be effective, must be
able to speak for the region as
a whole whether or not all
local authorities agree"
In statement, however, Vir-
ginia State Senator Charles R.
Fenwick, representing the
Washington Metropolitan Re-
gional Conference, stressed that
transit problems, as far as
possible, should be considered
as local problems best handled
at the State level" AS a first
step, he called for approval of
the Virginia. Maryland istrict
compact to set up an area tran
sit regulatory commission.
Earlier this week, Senator
Fenwick supported creation of
the proposed Federal corpora
ton but also emphasized at
that time what he called the
necessity for a strong voice by
local officials in reaching re-
gional decisions.
Trade Board Approves
j. N. Robertson, representing
the Washington Board of
Trade, Endorsed the transpor-
tation survey finding and Gre
alton of the regional units
needed to carry them out. He
said the function of the pro-
posed Federal corporation
should be to conduct planning
itself, however, and not neces-
sarily be bound by the survey
in developing the new system.
Mr.. Robertson said down.
town parking should continue
to be handled by private enter
prise, with as little government
intervention as possible. He
also urged that there be no
de-emphasis on the construc-
ton of freeways, many of
which he initiated as the Dis
trict's former highway director,
and said no highway funds
should be diverted to transit
purposes.
Robert M. Weston, for many
years a member of the District
Public Utilities Commission,
made a vigorous plea for de-
velopment of a publicly owned
transit system financed, how
ever, with private capital.
A widely circulated draft of a
bill to create the Federal cor
poration was attacked by Ber-
nard Cushman, lawyer for the
local transit workers labor
union. He said the draft made
a "Quixotic attempt" to ignore
the realities of labor by omit
ting provisions for adequate
labor management relations.
He urged Congress to correct
this deficiency"
Northwest Link Hit
A Northwest freeway link
between Tenley circle NV. and
the inner loop was opposed by
David Sanders Clark and Sam
uel Spencer, representing a
committee of property owners
in Northwest Washington. Mr..
Spencer, appearing as an at
torney, formerly was president
of the District Board of Com
missioners.
Declining to favor the Tenley
link, William E. Shepherd, of
the Georgetown Citizens Asso-
Iciation and the Committee of
100 on the Federal City, said