New Britain herald., 1927-11-25

sion spent most of the summer of 1926 holding hearings throughout the United States on the subject of regulation of motor buses and trucks operating interstate as common car riers of goods or passengers for hire. The com mission plans to issue a re- port and recommendation based on this investigation early in Decem- Der with view to guiding congress in framing legislation. If this re- port is delayed it is probable that congress will wait until 1t Is submit ted before considering bus legisla- ton of any sort, although it will not be bound by the I. c. C's recom- mendations in any way.
 Officials of the Three A Bus diH- sion atttended all the hearings held by the commission on the subject, offered testimony and submitted 8 brief setting forth their views. Near the close Of the last session of con- gress the bus division drafted a bill cmbodying it's ideas of bus reg uations and 1t was introduced by Senator Watson. chairman of the senate committee on interstate com merce, and by Representative Deni- son, a member of the house commit ice on interstate and foreign com- merce. The bill does not include trucks since the A. A. 4. does not represent truck operators and since the trucking industry is in a differ "nt status from the bus industry for regulation.
 The Three 4 bill has the endorse mont of the American Railway As sociation. the National Association of Railroad and Utility commission CTS. tho American Electric Railway association, and others interested in bus operation. Under it's provisions congress would delegate control of interstate bus lines 10 the states through which they pass, In case the utility commissions Of adjoining states failed to agree on a, course of action or in case some operator or some passenger refused to abide by the decision of a state com mis- sion, appeal could be taken 10 the interstate commerce commission. The A. A. A. opposed concentration of all bus regulation in the inter state commerce. commission because that body is already Overworked with the railroad regulation inCum- bent upon it and because. bus lines. although crossing state boundaries, are usually local problems, better solved by officials familiar with the region and local conditions. Neither operators nor passengers want 10 20 to Washington every time a change in bus service is proposed.
 There Is some legal doubt as 70 the power of congress to delegate it's aut hority back to the states in this fashion. but many constitutional lawyers of high repute declare the plan perfectly feasible. What recom- mendations the interstate commerce commission may take or what con greSS will do about the problem cannot he for"told.
 Bus division officials here expect that very few changes in their bill of a year ago will be suggested when tho legislative committee meets next month. A few minor changes will be made for clarity and then the same sponsors will be asked to iu- troduce the bill early in the coming session of congress. The bus division will then do everything in it's power 10 secure the early enactment of this bill. It will stand for some amendments for the sake Of har- it is ready 10 fight the interstate commerce commission or any other body in defense of it's idea for dc