Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-12-08
D. {. Transit
Head Attacks
City Rail Plan
Chalk Charges
Plotting Against
Private Operator
By LEE FLOR
star staff Writer

II the House passes leglSla-
ton tomorrow to authorize q
$400 million rail transit system
for Washington, it will be vio-
lating earlier promises and
pledges to the local privately
operated bus system, o. Roy
Chalk said yesterday.
Mr.. Chalk, president Of D. c.
Transit System. Inc, accused
presidential District adviser
Charles A. Horsky Of plotting
to put Mr.. Chalk's privately
operated system out of business
with a rail system operated by
the Government.
Mr.. Chalk's public charges
at a press conference came
three days after the House Dis
trict Committee cleared the leg
islation for approval by the
House. The bill is scheduled
for debate and action on Dis
trict Day." tomorrow.
When Congress granted q
franchise in'1956 to Mr.. Chalk's
firm, Congress guaranteed q
ga per cent profit for private
investors In return for pledges
of improved transit service and
labor peace, Mr.. Chalk said.
Wires Congressman
However, officials Of the Ma
tional Capital Transportation
Agency have said they have
made no provisions for a ga
per cent return to private in
vestors. This shows the trans
portation agency is planning on
a Government-operated system,
with no provision for private
enterprise, Mr.. Chalk charged
He also released copies of a
night telegram sent to each OF
the 435 Representatives who
may consider the legislation to-
morrow.
The telegram said:
The transit legislation PRO
videS for a minimum addition
of $500 million to the national
debt to build an outmoded
stopgap subway system for the
District Of Columbia with NJ
provision protecting private en-,
terprise against public opera,
ton it will saddle the gov
eminent with public ownership
Of this system and create
COVER n m entail Frankensteil
without any experience in tn
transit fieiG to run it,"
Charges Pressure
The telegram also. said tina
in the event Congress decide
to authorize the $500 millio
system. the bill should b
amended to provide for expe
rienced private operation b
D. c. Transit System, Inc, pur
Suant to the act of Congress
granting its franchise"
Mr.. Chalk said that MI
Horsky. the presidential advise
for National Capital affairs, /
putting terrific pressure" be
hind the bill. Mr.. Chalk said h,
called Mr.. Horsky Friday to asl
him whether private enterpriS,
would be allowed to operate tn,
transit system and received
only "evasive answers"
Mr.. Horsky could not b,
reached for comment.
Warren D. Quenstedt, deput,
administrator of the transpor
tation agency, said that 9TH
transportation agency's con
gressional legislation in 1866
made it clear that operation O
any system would be deter
mined at a proper time by Con
greSS."
Both the administration ant
the Meta have said that tn
$400 million subway system
necessary and very sound"
1T has been pointed on
many times that the system
would be financed in larges
part out of the fare box, evel
to the point that governmental
grants could be repaid in time,
Mr.. Quenstedt said.
Meanwhile, a spokesman 70
leading Washington bushes
organizations urged yesterda,
that the rapid rail transit bill
be enacted as soon as possible
Miles L. Colean, chairman o
the Joint Committee on Trans
portation for metropolitan
Washington, said the transi
bill offers "a practical. bust
nesslike approach to a compile,
problem which requires i'm
mediate attention"