Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-05
ENGINEERS REVIEW
NEW LEGISLATION
Council Holds Analysis Indi-
Gates Many Constructive
Accomplishments.

Analysis of the actual results of the
FIRST Hoover Congress" indicates "a
vast amount of constructive accomplish
ment," statement issued yesterday by
the American Engineering Council de-
clared
The council which was formed 10
years ago as the public service body
of the Nations engineering profession,
with Mr.. Hoover as its first president,
told of its own participation in public
affairs. saying that through the volun-
tary effort of engineers many good
measures have been passed and many
bad measures defeated"
The council kept a careful record of
and observed the progress of the various
legislative items, it was said.
Many Laws Favored.
Among the subjects of the laws en-
acted which were favored by the council
were listed the following:
Rivers and harbors, reorganization of
the Federal Power Commission, an act
requiring safe and suitable boilers and
appurtenances on locomotives, authoriz-
ing an appropriation to enable any
State to cooperate with another for
the protection of watersheds of navig-
able streams forest preservation. the
universal draft law George Washington
Memorial Parkway, national parks, CO.
ordination of the public health &C
Invites, Federal Radio Commission.
plant patents toll bridges, patent law
revision. the National Hydraulic Labora-
tory. authorization for additional labor
statistics, commission to study the sub
iect of conservation and administration
of the public domain, drainage districts,
Federal road aid, George Washing
ton Memorial Highway. International
Petroleum Exposition cooperation,
United States census. vocational re-
Mobilization of industrial employees and
civil service claSsificationS
The council was declared to have OPP
posed proposed detrimental legislation"
on the following subjects: Government
operation of Muscle Shoals, certain toll
bridge legislation, permitting Govern
ment engineers to accept dual salaries
from foreign countries, requiring con-
tractors to give preference to certain
classes Of labor, compulsory licenses for
unused patents, barring engineers from
assisting inventors in the perfection of
their inventions, bill relating to suits
for infringement of patents where the
patentee is violating the antitrust laws,
establishment of a National Reclama-
ton Control Service, bill interfering
with development Of civil aviation and
several ill-chosen schemes to disrupt
the Federal Power Commission.
80 of 80 Projects Enacted.
Good authorities show" the council
continued, that President Hoover in
itiated 80 legislative projects. of which
30 were enacted into legislation by the
Seventy-first Congress. Undoubtedly
several of the remaining nine will be
enacted in the coming session of Con-
gresS."
Some of the outstanding general ac-
complishments from an engineers view
point of the Seventy-irst Congress. as
stated by the council were: Tax reduc-
ton, Farm Relief Board. public build
1ngs, program for the development of
the Nations waterways, increased ap-
preparation for Federal aid highway
building, Federal Radio Commission,
foreign mail contracts have been ex-
panded by $5,500000 annually to make
possible the construction of 40 new YES
sells, which will sail the American flag;
a commission has been appointed to in
vestigate the administration and con-
servation of the public domain, Con-
gress authorized the gathering of sta
tistics of unemployment. increased ap-
preparations and extended activities
have been begun in the Women's and
Children's Bureaus, Public Health
agencies, Office of Education and Bu-
reau OF Indian Affairs; authorization
and appropriations have been made for
new and better prisons and the parole
and probation system has been reor-
gained as requested by the President,
q bureau for collection and preservation
Of criminal records in the Department
oI Justice was authorized. all agencies
dealing with veterans have been con-
solidated and relief measures in accord
ance with the wishes of the President
passed an act was passed providing
continuance for an additional three
years OF the authorization of 81 600 O0O
annually for rehabilitation of persons
disabled in industry, Congress provided
an increase of the retirement dement's
allowed to employees Of the Government
the maximum being raised from 81 600
10 Sl,2OO annually. and encoura cement
was given to commercial aviation nv
the authorization of more liberal
poncy Tor the carrying of airmail by
private contractors"
ne present Congress-" the council
concluded, has pending before it sew
eral problems in which the engineer Is
vitality concerned. These are: Proper
disposition of Muscle Shoals. codifca-
lion OF toll bridge laws, Government
reorganization, railroad consolidation
communications legislation, engineering
experiment stations. etc.
Ihat these problems can and will he
adequately solved there is no doubt. and
IL Is equally certain that the engineer
end" '4i"'