Evening star., 1926-10-17
BUS HEARINGS DEVELOP
DESIRE FOR REGULATION
Nationwide Survey, Shifted Here, Gives
I.C. C. New Insig ght Into Problems OF
Latest Form of Transportation.

MONOPOLY, at least virtual one.
Suppose there existed regulatory
legislation. with power vested IN the
Interstate Commerce Commission 10
administer the law passed by the
Congress. Suppose powerful COM
many. operating a fleet of fast and
safe busses over a given route he-
tween two cities. offering top-notch
service. attracted competitors to the
field Is it logical to suppose that tho
Interstate Commerce Commission OF
anv other regulatory body. would Ehe
unlimited right for others to come IN
and operate over the same route
The one company would he Sufnclent'
another would be nuisance. For
this reason the large operators-or at
least some of them-are strongly IN
favor of giving the Interstate Com
merce Commission the power TO regu'
late the bus lines of the Nation.
OF course, regulatory legislation
would have the effect Of bringing
about the more widespread use OF
safety devices, and so on, on all bus
conveyances. 1t is true that the
newer busses are equipped with su'h
devices. hut regulatory legislation
probably would make it essential that
every possible step he taken by every
company operating busses. old or
new. looking toward complete safety
for passengers.
Attitude of Railroads.
It is plain. from the tenor of the
hearings, that the railroads M the
country favor regulatory legislation
for both the notorious and the motor
truck, giving the Interstate Commerce
Commission power over these units
similar to that which 1t now exercises
| over the rail carriers.
The attitude of the railroads gener-
| allv toward the motor bus and the mo-
| tor truck as a practicable means or
transporting goods and passengers
has been one of the most interesting
phaSes of the whole question since It's
earliest inception. At first a majority
of the roads regarded the rubber-tired
vehicle AS an enemy; AS dangerous
| competitor: factor to be guarded
| against and if necessary, To be met
| in open combat. That attitude grad
| uaIly changed, and now is in the proc
ess of reformation. Some railroads
| failed to see the value of the truck
and bus until relatively short while
| ago, These now find real shOrt-haul
competition on their hands, while
others, more farsighted, today are
reaping the rewards of their own pro-
gressiveness In putting the smaller
units to work for them as feeders or
general subsidiaries.
There are railroads in this country
possessed of comprehensive net
| work of truck and bus lines, either
acting as main arteries or as feeders
| for the railroad. They are paying
lines. and the railroads are henefting
| vastly There are other railroads In
the United States now trying to buy
| out prosperous bus cOmpa MES which
have grown up beside them while they
have buried their respective heads In
the sand. The bus truck and rail-
road are the most logical friends.
They are made to work in con1unc-
ton with one another. The railroad
executives broad enough to see this
eventually five or more years ago now
are resting somewhat easier than their
more dogmatic colleagues.
Hearings Prove Effective.
| The hearings which will he terni-
| mated by the Washington sessions
now looming have proved an educa-
ton for the Interstate Commerce Com
mission and for the nation as whole.
These hearings have built up basis
Of knowledge upon which TO work,
and mark the beginning of vast
store of understanding on the subject
of this newest phase Of Americas land
transportat ton problem. They nave
provided a real starting point for in
| telligent discussion of a question
which has been agitated, often not so
intelligently. for number Of years.
1t means that from now on there are
persons who can speak with authority
on the significant angles of the prob
lem, and Congress is provided with an
| agency to which it can turn for def
| mite data when II gain attempts 10
formulate legislation.
| There has been long standing need
for crystalliZation Of opinions. views.
statements, facts and statistics In this
connection, and these hearings will
have the effect of bringing about at
least partial cataloguing Of various
phases of the problem. In fact, 1t can
| he Sa id that they not only will have
this effect: they already have achieved
/ it in an important measure.
Although IT has been herein indi-
Gated, II should be stated definitely
hat an amazing degree of interest was
displayed throughout the country IN
the progress of the hearings. In the
facts developed. and that at each center
an unexpectedly large group OF inter-
| ested agencies and individuals ap-
AIRED to testify. This was true not
| only in the great Centers OF popula-
| tion. such as New York. Chicago and
San Francisco but at such points as
Dallas and Asheville. Constructive
enthusiasm was everywhere displayed,
whether in favor of regulation or OPP
| posed to it, The whole tenor OF the
proceedings indicated in a very sub
stantial fashion the fact that the
country at large Is alive to the prob
lem and is desirous of seeing a start
made toward it's settlement.
Hearing to Be Representative.
IT, hnf
| Washington hearings will bear out
the Fundamental and basic trends es-
tablished at ma jority Of the other
| sessions. Obviously, certain differ
| ences will arise. certain local prob
lens will he given precedence In the
| discussions. certain attitudes Will
vary, hut in the main the broad view.
| point, II is expected. will shape up in
the same general form as has been
evident heretofore. Preparations have
been made ny local interests to pre-
sent their views in a comprehensive
| ia shion, and the group which appears
| before the commission will be repre-
| sentative one.
/ Using a broad-gauged tape line as a
meas sure, the Interstate Commerce
| Commissions most recent transporta-
ton hearings are important as pio-
neering steps into a new and a grow.
| ing field-a field in need of intelligent
and careful attention: attention based
on facts rather than fancy. and to be
cultivated. IL the term may be used
in regulatory sense. with A fine un.
derstanding OF the economic values
involved. These hearings are mile
posts in the development of great
and virile industry-an industry which
cannot be handicapped by blundering
and careless notice; an industry which
| must be allowed to attain it's full
| growth with the aid of whatever