Evening star., 1960-03-09

akC6 VI hLtcpUL tdClUIl pIOUlCIIl
rather than merely regulation.
District Commissioner Rob-
ert E. Mclaughlin and Jerome
M. Alper, Metropolitan WASH
ington Board of Trade spokes-
man. took sharp issue with the
Spear stand.
Mr.. Mclaughlin called state
mentS by Mr.. Spear highly
misleading" He also attacked
the transit attorneys submis-
sion to the subcommittee of a
report printed for another con-
gresSional committee.
Quotes Critical Report
The report, prepared last
year in connection with the
area mass transportation plan
now under study by a joint
committee, was drafted by the
Institute Of Public Administra-
ton of New York City.
Mr.. Spear quoted portions of
the interstate compact plan
under which the joint reg
ulatory commission is being
proposed.
Mr.. Mclaughlin said the re-
port was rejected by the Ma
tional Capital Planning Com
mission and REGIONAL Planning
Council, authors of the mass
transportation plan. He charged
i it had been brought around
and in the side door" when it
was printed for the Joint Com
mittee on WASHINGTON Metro
politan Problems. headed by
Senator Bible, Democrat of
Nevada.
Sees District Injured
Mr.. Spear said the District
Maryland Virginia compact for
which hackers seek congress
sional approval would. give
control Of the proposed transit
commission to Maryland and
Virginia because the two States
would have two of the three
commission members. He said
the plan was therefore dis
criminatory against the Dis
trict.
From your own point Of
view, what is your real gripe?"
Representative Lindsay, Re-
publican Of New York, asked.
rs it money!"
The interests Of D. c. Tran
sit won't be adequately pro-
tected," Mr.. Spear replied.
He added that he felt the
transit flrm would be seriously
hurt by any change in the
present regulatory control by
the District Public Utilities
Commission. But under ques-
tioning he said a plan provid-
ing a bigger commission with
majority representation for the
District would be more salts
factory. He said the commits
sion would have to have at
least five members with three
from the District.
Fears Discrimination
Asked by Mr.. Lindsay why
the company thought it had so
much to lose, Mr.. Spear said
Maryland and Virginia mem
bers of the commission would
be responsible to their gov
ernors and would act in the
interest Of the suburban coun-
ties.
/ 1T will reduce itself to plain
balance Of vested interests" he
declared.
He predicted the District
would be regularly outvoted.
Mr. Mclaughlin took issue
with Mr.. Spears contention
that a transit regulatory COM
pact ought to be considered
only as part OF the entire mass
transit picture. He said the
transit compact was COM
pletely separable" from the
other parts of the plan for ex-
pensive transit development
and was only considered a first
step.
Rejects Time Limit
Cyril F. Brookfield of the
subcommittee legal staff asked
Mr.. Spear whether the transit
firm would be willing to 60
along with the compact if 1t
carried a limited life of S or 10
years. Mr.. Spear said this
would hardly meet the COM
pany's objections.
Mr.. Brookfield warned that
any change in the number OF
commission members would re-
quire sending the compact plan
back to both the Maryland and
Virginia legislatures, which al
ready have cleared the three
man plan.
Mr.. Spear said neither the
Maryland nor Virginia Legisla-
ture had held public hearings
on the compact and challenged
the right of the District Com
missioners, who are supporting
1t, to speak for District citizens
on the question. Congress must
decide the matter for the dis.