Evening star., 1960-04-24
Z State Senators
Oppose Federal
Corporation
BY JAMES G. DEANE
Star STAFF Writer

for developing an area rapid
transit system.
The Federal agency may be
asked to- drop a provisional
plan for a Federal corporation.
If the corporation idea sticks,
suburban leaders will seek in
any case to put substantial
curbs on its powers and to
postpone its establishment be-
yond 1868, the date suggested
by the bureau.
Bureau officials have indi-
Gated willingness to accept a
1865 date for the corporations
creation, it was reported. What
other concessions they are pre-
pared to make have not been
disclosed.
A tri-State commission which
includes representatives of the
District Commissioners and the
Maryland and Virginia legis-
latureS will meet in mid-week.
A session with Budget Bureau
officials is planned a day or
two later.
Double Complaints
Both Maryland State Sena-
tor Edward S. Northrop and
Virginia State Senator Charles
R. Fenwick yesterday reiter-
ated their opposition to fea-
lures of the Budget Bureau
drafted transit bill now await
ing Congressional hearings May
5 and 6.
The suburban legislators
both have complained that the
Federal corporation as pro-
posed by the bureau is in effect
a sword aimed at the two
States. The corporation would
come into existence. under the
pending legislation. if the Dis
trlct and the two States failed
to form a permanent transit
agency by interstate compact
by 1868 or a time considered
appropriate by the President
subsequent to that date.
The compact agency or the
corporation would succeed a
temporary agency with limited
powers whose chief job would
be to start the construction of
a subway in the District and
ouy some right-of-way for
future transit use in Virginia.
Revision is Urged
The State leaders fear that
the Federal Government, if the
corporation came into being.
would be able to exercise arbi-
trary powers which might be
contrary to the wishes and
interests of suburban COM
munities.
An elaborate revision Of the
Budget Bureaus bill which has
been circulated recently among
interested leaders is being
studied by the two legislators
and may be the basis for some
OF the suggestions to be made
to the Budget Bureau.
The revision, drafted by C.
Darwin Stolzenbach of Ken
sington, Md, who is associated
with Johns Hopkins University,
drops the Federal corporation
and provides machinery for
consultation with area commu<
mites on transit projects. 1t,
also proposes broader planning
power in the transportation
field for the transit agency.
Mr.. Stolzenbach said yester-
day his draft was intended to
meet two particular weaknesses
as he sees them in the Budget
Bureaus bill. He said the biz
does not recognize political
realities and that it is also
adopts a shotgun approach"
by providing for no local par
ticipation in planning.
Senator Northrop said he has
not adopted the Stolzenbach
recommendations in toto but
that they include desirable
features"
He said area leaders are
anxious to make progress on
the transit problem this year,
a difficult matter since Con-
gresS will only be in session in
all probability for another 212
months.
But in addition to objections
to the corporation plan he said
leaders still are in doubt about
numerous aspects of the Budget
Bureau bill, such as the finan-
cial obligations to be placed
upon the States and the finan-
cial aid to be expected from
the Federal Government.
A more specific idea of the
finances must be obtained be-
fore support can be given to
the bill, he said.
Opposition Ignored
He also strongly criticized a
recent demand from the Fed
eral Bureau of Public Roads
that Route 240 oe reconstructed
in the Wisconsin avenue COR
ridor without regard to the
opposition of many in Mary
land. This" the Senator sad.
lis an example of the kind of
arbitrary Federal action which
Marylanders fear in the pro-
posed transit corporation,
which also would have author
ity TO establish routes and
acquire land"
Other area leaders also are
taking steps to try to iron out
disagreement on the transit
plant. Harland Bartholomew,
chairman Of the National Capt.
tai Planning Commission, de-
clared:
This is very crucial time
in the history Of transportation
development for the Washing-