The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-12-23


The war labor board assumed &c
raise rates of pay for street raiiWa!
employees. 1t also fixed the price
of material and equipment which the
companies had to pay, and in turn II
fixed the companies, since 1t added
all these burdens to their conditions
but could not increase the sources OF
their revenue. The president and the
secretary of the treasury and all the
rest of the high government officials
wrote eloquent appeals in behalf OF
higher street car fares. Finally the
president appointed the federal cleo
trio railways commission, which a
a very exhaustive study OF the cleo
trio railway industry, and recon-
mended a basic plan for the reestao-
lishment Of the street railway indus
try throughout the United States.
The present referendum Of the
chamber of commerce OF the United
States seeks to further establish these
basic ideas by bringing them home
TO the local communities. The com
mittee report points out that among
the problems affected by local trans
portation systems is the housing stu
alton. 1t says: The question is not
only how TO obtain housing, but how
to utilize il, and utilization in every
instance turns upon the facilities for
local transportation. To a house,
either a new or an old, access TO an
efficient railway Is quite as essential,
for practical purposes, as sewer con-
nections and a water supply" 1t is
hard to gainsay these established
facts.
In the referendum now being sub
mitted to the business organizations
OF the country through the chamber
Of of the United States
eight questions are to be voted upon.
After each question there is a space
indicating the local opinion, favoring
or opposing the suggestions. These
suggestions, which have come down
the long official route. PROFOUND the
following questions, stated in the af-
irmative, i. e.: Il. Existing traction
facilities should be conserved. 2.
The attitude now taken toward street
railway problems should be based up
on the present and future needs of
the community. 3. The attitude which
Is taken toward street railway prob
lens should contemplate private
ownership and operation. 4. Regula-
ton should everywhere be instituted
that will promptly follow changes in
the situation Of the companies rem
dering services Of local transporta-
ton. 5. Provision should be made
against the consequences of unfair
competition. 6. All burdens unre-
lated to the service should be removed
from street railways. Z. Official re,
sponsibility should be definitely fixed
for the application of regulation. 8
Each company should seek to have
available for the public at all times
the facts as to the results of operation
and should have resident responsible
executives wholly conversant with
local requirements"
Congress will doubtless be called
upon to strengthen the transportation
act, but in doing SO it will find itself
at a big advantage, since the relations
between the public and the transpor.
tation lines were clearly defined in
the Cummins-Esch measure. Alfred
p. Thorn, counsel Of the association
of railway executives, traces the evo-
luton Of government regulation up
to the passage of the law of 1920.
This law" he says, has it's founda-
ton in a new and larger view of the
relationship of government to the in
strumentality of the transportation
which it undertakes to regulate" To
this Mr.. Thorn adds: 1.-The abandon
ment of the old and mistaken view
that the responsibility Of government,
when ii undertakes to regulate the
business of transportation, is fully
performed when it Furnishes it's mis-
deeds and restricts it's activities and
opportunities, and the adoption of the
new conception that the governments
responsibility in regulation must ex
tend to and embrace proper encour-
agement and protection, makes a new
era in u legislative history and
rises to the dignity of an economic
triumph of popular government. 1t
furnishes new assurance and gives
fresh courage and hope to those who
believe in the good sense and the
spirit of wisdom and craftsmanship
which reside in the masses of the peo-
pie and which will ultimately manifest
themselves in the system of laws
evolved out Of public opinion"
There are about one hundred appli-
cations for licenses for water power
projects o file with the federal water
power commission, established by the
passage Of the water power act, rushed
through in the closing hours OF the
last coccf0p of acn~~osc orH oiuuod