Evening star., 1960-08-31
Robertson to Fiqht
Transit Bill Change
Johnson OKs
Debating Time
For Wirginiun
By GRACE BASSETT
Star STAFF Writer

Senator Robertson, Democrat
of Virginia, today planned an
attempt to beat down amend
ments that could kill major
local legislation to create a
commission to regulate trans
portation throughout the Wash
ington area.
The Virginian was promised
floor time to debate the meas
ure by Majority Leader john
son. The House already has
cleared the proposal unani-
mouSly.
But Senator Morse, Demo-
crat of Oregon. has given Sen
ator Robertson notice that he
may propose an amendment to
give the District two members
on the commission compared to
one for Virginia and one for
Maryland. AS written, the bill
gives each of the three juris-
dictions one representative.
Robertson Hopeful
Il think we can defeat the
amendment" Senator Robert
son said. Should it prevail,
it could we'll prevent establish
ment of the commission
. He explained that Virginia
and Maryland Legislatures have
approved identical agreements
to enter the transportation reg
ulatory compact. A different
version cleared by Congress
would have to be resubmitted
to the Legislatures, he said, and
Virginia lawmakers will not
convene again until 1862.
Senator Robertson said he
had the support of Judiciary
Committeeman Hart, Democrat
of Michigan, and keatlng, Re-
publican of New York.
. Also Maryland Senators Beall
and Butler, Republicans, and
Minnesota Senators Humphrey
and Mccarthy, Democrats, have
pledged themselves to join Sem
ator Robertson in a floor fight
for passage Of the House ver-
sion.
Chalk's Stand Noted
80 far as can understand,
everybody except the D. c..
Transit System wants this
legislation" Senator Robertson
said. o. Roy Chalk, system
president, sees the commission
as a first step toward elimi-
mating private transit opera
tons here.
Senator Robertson noted that
the proposal guaranteed any
transportation company dis
satisfied with commission rul-
ings an appeal to the courts.
This should protect the Chalk
interests, he insisted.
AS for adding members to
the commission for the Dis
trict, Senator Robertson main
tanned that Washington already
was guaranteed a special veto
power over any action relating
solely to the District. The
, District member alone can halt
regulation dealing with intra-
District problems.
Il see this new regulatory
plan as a means of assuring
that residents of Virginia and
, Maryland as we'll as of the
District can get across bridges
in and out of the city in the
next 10 years." Senator Robert
son said. The congestion
already is tremendous"
Service Shortages Seen
He said there were no efficient
interchanges for area travellers
and inadequate transfers and
connections between Virginia
and District buses. All these
difficulties could be met by a
single regulatory agency rather
than through four separate
commissions currently at work
on the problem, according to
Senator Robertson.
Senator Robertson's leader
ship in the drive for creation OF
the commission is interesting
against the backdrop of the
history of the legislation. In
1858, the President vetoed the
original bill creating a similar
commission because of protests
from Virginia leaders. They in
sisted their constitution barred
them from joining in compact
to regulate a purely State
transportation through an in
terstate commission. The leg
islation was perfected to protect
this constitutional provision.
The commission was recon-
, mended by a 100000 congress
! sional study of metropolitan
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