The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1923-12-07
COOLIDGE VIEWS TOLD IN
ADDRESS TO CONGRESS-
Continued from page u

oeet Suh We uispOSeu Va uu'uh ITO
geously under these conditions, II vii
be operated as economically az POI
able under such plans as may be ad
vised from time to time by the ship
ping board. We must have a merchan
marine which meets these require
f1ents, and we shall have to pay thu
cost of Its service.
Public improvements.
The time has come to resume In I
moderate way the opening Of our In
tracoastal Waterways the control o.
Aood waters of the Mississippi and
OF the Colorado rivers; the improve
msnt of the waterways from the
Great Lakes toward the Gulf Of Mex
leo; and the development of the
great power and navigation project OF
the IT. Lawrence river, for which eff
FORTS are now being made to secure
1hs necessary treaty with Canada
These projects cannot all b under
taken at once. but all should have the
Immediate consideration Of the con-
tress and b adopted a. fast AZ plans
Dan be matured and the necessary
funds become available. This ID not
Incompatible with economy, for their
Aature does not require 70 much a
public expenditure a. capital invest
ment which will be reproductive, al
evidenced by the marked increase in
revenue from the Panama canal. Upon
these projects depend much future In
6ustrial and agricultural progress.
They represent the protection Of large
areas from flood and the addition Of
great amount Of cheap power and
cheap freight by use Of navigation,
chief Of which is the bringing Of ocean,
going ships to the Great Lakes.
Another problem Of allied character
is the superpower development Of the
northeastern states, consideration OF
which is proceeding under the direc-
ton Of the Department of Commerce
by joint conference with the local au-
thorities.
Railroads.
Criticism Of the railroad law has
been directed, first, to the section lay
ing down the rule by which rates are
nxed, and providing for payment to
Ae government and use Of excess
earnings; second, to the method for
the adjustment Of wage scales; and
third. to the authority permitting con-
solidations
It has been enormously assumed
that the act undertakes to guarantee
railroad earnings. The law requires
that rates should be just and reason
able. That has always been the rule
under which rates have been fixed.
TO make a rate that does not yield a
fair return results in conflscation, and
conflscatory rates are of course uncon-
stitutional. Unless the government
adheres to the rule of making rate
that will yield a fair return, 1t must
abandon rate making altogether The
new and important feature of that
part of the law is the recapture and
redistribution Of excess rates. The
constitutionality Of this method Is now
before the Supreme court for adjudi-
cation. Their decision should be
awaited before attempting further leg
islation on this subject. Furthermore,
the Importance Of this feature will not
be great If consolidation goes into
effect.
The settlement Of railroad labor dis
putes Is a matter of grave public con-
Germ. The labor board was estab-
lished to protect the public in the en-
1oyment of continuous service by at
tempting to insure justice between the |
companies and their employees. 1t las
been a great help, but Is not alto
gether satisfactory to the public, the
employees or the companies. If
substantial agreement can be reached
among the groups interested, there
should be no hesitation In enacting
such agreement into law. II 1t Is not
reached the labor board may very
well be left for the present to protect
the public welfare.
The law for consultations Is not suff1-
GENTLY effective to be expeditions. Ad-
ditional legislation Is needed giving
authority for voluntary consultations,
both regional and route, and provid-
ng government machinery to aid and
stimulate such action, always subject
% the approval of the Interstate COM
nerce commission. This should au-
horize the commission to appoint COM
hittees for each proposed group. rep
'esenting the public and the compo-
lent roads, with power to negotiate
With individual security holders for
N exchange Of their securities for
hose of the consolidation on such
erms and conditions as the commits
ION may prescribe for avoiding any
onflscation and preserving fair val
Ies Should this permissive consolida-
lon prove ineffective after limited
.eriod, the authority Of the govern
nent will have to be directly invoked.
Consolidation appears to be the only
easible method for the maintenance
( an adequate system Of transporta-.
lon with an opportunity 30 to adjust
reight rates AZ to meet such tempo
AIRY conditions as now prevail In some
gricultural sections. Competent au-
horfties agree that an entire reor-
anization Of the rate structure for