Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-21
UTILITIES CONTROL
BILLS ARE SHAPED
CouzenS Hopes to Get Meas
We Providing New Set-up
Through This Session.
By the Associated Press.

| By the Associated Press.
After weeks of intensive investigation
two important pieces of legislation
looking toward Government regulation
of utilities in Interstate commerce are
on their way to the Senate.
Senator Couzens, Republican, Michi-
gan, who with other members of the
Senate interstate commerce committee
laid the foundation for the measures
hopes to get one Of them through this
session. setting up a new Federal Power
Commission in accord with President
Hoovers desire. The Couzens proposal
for Federal control Of communications
also will be pressed.
We want complete information" he
said today, "but we hope to finish our
investigation of the present commission
with dispatch. We shall do everything
possible to speed passage"
Two Others Contemplated.
In addition, the committee cOntem-
plates a measure further regulating
power generation and distribution and
fourth looking TO railway consolida-
ton along lines laid down by the Inter-
state Commerce Commission.
Because Of the legislative jam behind
the tariff bill, leaders hold little hope
that the railway bill by Senator Fess
Republican, Ohio, will be reported in
time for action by this Congress. There
Is some doubt also, It was indicated to-
day, that the second power bill will
get beyond Introduction.
The interstate commerce committee
however, has completed hearings on the
communications bill and likely will re-
port It shortly after the first power
measure Is ready for presentation
Drafted by the Michigan Senator the
nrst power bill would reorganize the
Power Commission to meet difficulties
the present body has encountered in
performing its duties. It would make
the commission body Of three civilians
working fun time for $4,000 a wear
with tull authority for employing as
Sistants
Little Opposition Appears.
Virtually no opposition to this meas
ure mas appeared, but 1t is expected
That some differences of opinion within
the committee viii arise before discus
sion is completed.
Over the accounting and enxineerinr
departments Of the commission control.
ing permits to power companies deyel.
opmg hydro-electric power, there is dis.
cuSSion OF matters of jurisdiction. Thi,
agencys business deals with navi0ahle
streams In which the War Department
has jurisdiction, and with nationa
forest lands, over which the Agricul.
ture Department has supervision.
Consequently there appears to bt
some question how far Congress should
| go In creating q set-up under which
the commission would act indeperd-
emily, through its own stan of engineer,
and other experts. 1t is recalled, how.
ever, that this difficulty might be han.
died through control Of appropriation,
allowed the new commission.
Complaints of insufficient personne
have gone hand In hand with charge.
against ofiicials throughout the Senate
committees investigation this week
They have been expressed repeatedly by
| othcials in published reports virtually
since the commission began to function
Provisions Meet Opposition.
Senator Couzens drafted the com.
munications measure to establish con.
/
state commerce. Bitter opposition ha!
been presented to provisions which
would place telephone and telegraph
companies under Federal control, bu
this has been met by other witnesses
and by Senators cross-examining oppo
sition Representatives.
Little objection has been raised Il
the proposal to put radio eommunica
ton under control Of the suggested
commission, although it is clear tina
the regulation contemplated would b,
more thorough than that exercised b,
the present Radio Commission.
The second power bill must have ex
tensive preparation before its draftinI
Is completed, but work upon it alread!
Is going forward. It would accomplish
with power companies, distributing. sell
ing and generating, the same odegre,
OF control embodied In the communi
cations measure, including supervisor
of rates to the consumer.