Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-17

| In effect, 1t would repeal the law tf1at
requires the Interstate Commerce COM
mission to promulgate general plan
of consolidation for the country and
would open the way to voluntary con-
solidatiors, under certain restrictions.
The measure is already stirring con-
| troversy. Railroad labor organizations
are opposing it and there is declared to
| be increasing opposition from shippers.
However, it will afford basis for dis
cussion of a great and important trans
! portation subject.
Radio Inquiry Proposed.
Radio legislation will be another i'm
| portant question before Congress. Eff
! forts will be made to pass the Couzens
bill for q commission on conmunica-
tions. It will meet opposition and will
also have powerful backing Not to be
overlooked in relation to this Is the
! investigation which it to be carried on
by the Senate interstate commerce COM
resolution which the Senate already
has adopted.
The resolution provides for an In
quiry, into the relations between radio
and other forms of communication on
the one hand and transmission of
power by wire and wireless.
1t means. in short, study Of rela-
tions between radio, telephone, tele-
graphs, cables and all kinds Of wireless
on the one hand and the power COM
panies and affiliated interests on the
other. The resolution was put through
the Senate one day last June before
hardly any one awoke to It's Importance.
The committee for some time has
been making plans and working on pre-
liminaries for the investigation The
General Electric Co., the American
Telephone & Telegraph and various
great radio and power interests will be
drawn into it.
May Increase River Appropriations.
OF major Importance in the regular
session will be proposed legislation in
the interest Of the development Of the
inland waterways. President Hoover
has strongly declared himself In favor
Of such development. He did so in
the campaign and he has done so
since. His recent utterances when the
ceremonies were held to mark the COM
pletion of the Ohio River development
emphasized his feeling in favor Of de-
velopment Of the rivers and other in
land water routes.
The House rivers and harbors COM
mittee will bring out bill early in the
regular session for an authorization of
large sums to improve the inland water
ways. 1t may carry as much as $70,-
600, 900 and not much less than that
at the minimum.
Large appropriations are expected to
be made under it. It Is expected to
comprehend a program for the compile
ton OF the improvement of a number
Of important streams, including the
Mississippi and Missouri, in the next
four or five years. Deepening of Great
T,aknE hor6crc vriIl ha Faof1.ra
If Chairman S. Wallace Dempsey of
the House rivers and harbors COM
mittee has his way it will include pro-
vision for deepening the New York
State Canal
More for Good Roads.
The deepening of the lakes harbors
looks forward to linking the Great
Lakes with the Atlantic either by the
st. Lawrence route or the all-American
route or both in the reasonably near
future.
While Congress Is turning its atten-
ton this Winter to inland water routes
and the development of traffic thereon,
1t will also give attention to good roads.
Indications are the authorization for
Federal aid to highways will be in
creased from SIS, 100000 year to $685.
100000. Already Chairman c. G.
and leaders in the roads movement in
Government circles are conferrinr and
looking forward to such an expansion
OF the good road movement.
BY reason OF the proposals to impose
tariffs on products from the Philip
pines, there has been much discussion
OF independence for the islands in the
course of the extra session. Both
House and Senate have so far turned
down the restriction of imports from
the Pnlllppines and the Senate has
voted down an independence proposal.
However, the Senate committee on
territories early in the regular session
VIII take up the proposal Of independ-
ence, hold hearings and thresh the
matter out. This Winter, therefore,
may flnd Congress saying one thing or
the other definitely and finally with
respect to the future of the islands.
On the face OF things 1t does not
seem probable Congress will vote for
independence of the Philippines, but
there Is no denying the fact that COM
petition of imports from the islands
with certain products of the United
states Is adding to the support for in
dependence. Discussion in the extra
session has demonstrated this.
Prohibition to Command Attention.
Prohibition, Of course, will command
mucn attention. The Sheppard bill
Milcn pans 10 make the man or woman
VINO purchases liquor a criminal will
cause much debate. Extreme drys will
Try 70 force 1t through. Bigger appro-
prlations than ever for prohibition en-
forcement will be sought and probably
OBTAINED. Should the Law Enforcement
commission arrive at any Recommended
lions IN the course of the regular ses-
SION these would be considered, but It
Is not expected that its work will bear
fruit until later.
Although farm relief legislation has
Deen passed 1t will be necessary to make
more appropriations for the Farm Board
This VIII serve to renew the date of the
new law and Of the boards policies.
Recently In the Senate some members
OF the board were sharply scored for
their views.
Fate Of Treaty Cruisers at Stake.
Among the many other subjects to
be considered in the regular session will
be naval construction appropriations,
general Army and Navy matters, public
land policies. Muscle Shoals, the odds
and ends Of the Senate investigation
OF the lobby and of w. B. Shearer, mo-
tor bus and motor truck regulation,
anti-injunction legislation and supple
mental legislation relating to the mer-
chant marine.
The consideration of naval appro-
priations will bring to the front once
more the policy to be pursued in re-
Spect to the new cruisers authorized in
the last Congress. Much will depend
on developments in the London naval
conference.
While a multitude of domestic ques-
tons will be at the forefront in the
regular session, international subjects of
great moment will not be lacking.
once more the advocates of the World
Court hope to have that topic up in