New-York tribune., 1922-12-11
SI.O0O,OOO Saving Posi-
bic Through Elimination
of Confusion, Secretary
Tells Congress in Report
Would Modify Trust Act
Favors Giving Employers
MoreRighi to Cooperate;
Proposes Coal Remedies

por,ation facilities into three groups
each under an assistant secretary, ~a'
recommended BY Secretary hoover 70
day In his annual report 20 Congress
Whether these groups, when Woui.
concern themselves rcspcctively WIZ
industrv. trade and navigation, should
be brought into the Commerce DepaIt
rent ne declared, was secondary q
tho necessity FOR thc grouping itsel
I'M order TO obtain concentration o.
nu-noee 10 eliminate overlapping.
direct saving OF upward Of Al,OoO,OOO
year IN administration would be pos
siblc under the plan, he estimated
while many times that amount woulS
be- given 10 the public tn increased
values and services.
Administration OF these functions a.
present. slr. Hoover explained, nov u
divided among seven different depart
mcnts Of widely different major pur'
poses. with the result that there Is IN
evitablc overlap, duplication and laei
Of purpose
besides the plan Of regrouPing OF
government activities his reeommenoa'
tious were.
Establishment Of foreign trade zones
in the ports OF the United states as :
substitute for the present system o.
bonded warehouses, 10 be undertaken
las n contribution TO the American
merchant marine IN increasing the Foi'
lme of trade carried in American
ships.
Radical reduction OF the fees nov
CHARGED for passports and vises and
lewiston o. the formalities required OF
travellers. because Of retaliatory meas
ures abroad which now handicap
American merchants and travelling
salcsmcn.
ADEQUATE definition Of the liability OF
ocean cargo carriers for loss or damage
20 goods as a remedy Tor much need'
less and timc-wasting litigation.
Codihcation and revision Of the navi.
cation laws. including simpliheation oi
Inc administration OF the supervisory
work OF the government agencies N
charge Of shipping. o.,
Enactment OF n lode-line law similar
10 the laws Of the maritime powers OF
Europe.
Modification Of the present double
inspection system Of ocean cargo
steamers.
Exemption from Federal taxes OF
American residents abroad who are en-
gagged in the expansion OF American
Commerce. Americans so engaged. he
argued. nre placed at a great disad-
vantage IA competition with other ma
tionals, since the United States Is the
only important nation which so I'M
poses her domestic taxation.
Enactment Of legislation now before
Congress for the regulation OF safety
requirements in commercial aviation.
Extension Of the regulatory powers
or the Commerce Department for con-
troll OF radio.
Legislation for the betterment OF the
lighthouse service, including the con-
strnction Of n lighthouse and fog sig
nal at Cape Spencer, Alaska, and the
construction or improvement OF light
house dcpots and installation OF radio
fog signals 40 Newport, r. l., and Bos-
ton, and Of aids Of navigation al Lud-
ington. Mich. Galveston, Tex San
dusky. Ohio. and Fairport, Ohio.
A new code % give the Commerce
Department complete jurisdiction over
the fisheries in Alaska to enable con-
servation Of the salmon industry.
Laws 20 prevent the pollution Of
coastal whters By fuel oil from ships
and the many petroleum derivatives
used IN industry.
Increased salaries FOR experts and
specialists in the Commerce Depart
ment.
Mr.. Hoover reported that investiga.
ton by his department had disclosed
that the country's domestic sources OF
oil could last only a generation and
that foreign nations we're rapidly pre-
empting the foreign oil-bearing terri
tory. He added, However, that through
voluntary measures taken BY the oil
industry 10 expand It's holdings abroad
there Is measurable assurance OF fu'
ture supplies under American control
As 20 the general business situation
the Commerce Secretary declared the
outlook was so improved over a year
ago as 10 be Incompatible" despite
the inequalities still existing IN the
price levels between various commodi.
ties and between wage earners and
farmers.
Liberalization Of the law with re.
spect TO trade associations was favored
By Mr.. Hoover 10 the extent that CO.
operative organizations generally, rs
distinguished from capital eonsolida.
tions. should be permitted 10 file with
some appropriate governmental agency
the plan Of their operations, the func.
tions they propose 10 carry on. and
the detectives they proposed 20 reach
that uron approval such OF these func-
tions as did not apparently eontravene
public interest might be proceeded
with; that upon complaint, either By
individuals or By the government that
these fvnetions had reacted against
the public interest, a hearing should
be held before some suitable tribunal
and the right TO continue these par
tieular functions should, II the com
rlairts were found justified, be sus-
. Discussing the effects Of the new
tariff law. Mr.. Hoover asserted that
generally the volume Of the country's
exports Is likely TO be increased by the
increasing prosperity at home.
In critical examination Of the rail-
road situation, the Secretary described
the needs for revision Of railway legis-
latiOn 70 prevent the strangulation OF
industry and commerce through q
shortage Of transportation.
Stabilizaticn Of the bituminous coal
industry. he asserted. would eliminate
/ fully one-third Of the national coal
bill.
Reorganization measures already ef-
fected In the Commerce Department,
Mr. Hoover reported, had resulted In
saving OF 1925 900 during the fiscal
year. Appropriations available, he ex-
planned. amounted 10 S2t.320.l .lg2, while
the actual expenditure was $2i. i.o2tS70