The Fort Peck press., 1934-11-08
REGULATION Of
TRANSPORTATION
President Will Ask New Le9is.
lation of Forthcoming
Congress.

President Roosevelt to enact new les
fslation for regulation of all forms @
transportation. In the case of tn
railways they are already so complete
ly regulated that little more could b
suggested without wholly usurpin
the functions Of management. Wit
respect to interstate commerce NOV
ing on the highways and waterways
however, there is a wide field for tn,
exercise Of Congressional activity.
Joseph p. Eastman, Federal Co-or
dinator of Transportation, has pre-
scented his views to the President, boil
at the summer White House in Hyde
Park. n. Y, and since the return o.
the President to Washington. but thu;
far Mr.. Eastman has properly declined
TO disclose details. although it may be
safely assumed that many of the pro
visions written by the Co-ordinator
into the bills presented by Senator
Dill in the last session will be en-
bodied in the proposals now offered
for the Presidents approval.
May Be New Cabinet Office.
Notwithstanding Mr.. Eastman's 81
lence and the lack of information from
White House sources. there is pur-
9oseful talk in Washington to the eff
Sect that the new transportation leg
islation may include the creation of a
cabinet officer to be known as Secre-
tary of Transportation. Obviously,
such a move would represent quite a
drastic change from present Govern
aient policies. but the suggestion is
not new, having been proposed for the
consideration Of Congress when the
transportation Act OF 1920 was being
discussed.
The objections to q Secretary of
Transportation are as potent today as
when originally put forward. Perma-
hence of Administration is imperative
and is not achieved by the changes
that periodically take place in cabinet
appointments. but Washington author
tiles do agree that if regulation of all
forms OF interstate transportation is
TO be entrusted to the Interstate Com
MERGE Commission, there may be sound
logic in the creation of a separate
federal agency to- assume some of the
administrative functions that will de-
velop in thus extending the field of
regulation, leaving to the l. c. c. the
quasi judicial functions which it is so
we'll qualified to perform.
There are two definite schools of
thought in Washington dealing with
I new national transportation policy.
one hopes that the trend within the
Administration to assume larger con-
troll over all forms of private enter
prise may lead to Government owner
ship of the railways, or at least some
of them. and the other holds that
ownership may still be left in private
hands but regulation and control
be strengthened not alone with
to the railways but with every
other form of transportation perform
ing interstate service.
Public Ownership Not Favored.
If public sentiment is to be the
Judge between these schools, the gov
ownership group could not
win, for public experience with gov
operation of the railways |
turing the war is still an unpleasant
memory. More than this, however, the
public is becoming more and more sen
iitive on the subject of taxation and
will, it is believed, frown upon adding
billions to the public debt to acquire
he railways and then be further taxed
0 pay the deficits inevitably arising
rom Government operation.
1t would be most heartening and
elpful if the President would declare
imself as still supporting the princi-
les OF private ownership, and it
-ould greatly simplify the problem OF
ongress in dealing with the transpor-
alton question next winter.
Whatever proposals may be ap !
roved by the President and whateve"
re reasons behind them may be, it Is |
,rtain now that the Congress which
leets in January will have to face the
e~cessity for establishing a govern
tent transportation policy. Leaders /!
IuP 6OitSp anu soFiidtS Tx dullIOl ilF
n the information that such legisla-
on will be placed rather near the
y Of the list Of proposals upon !
hich the President will ask Congress J
act, and today it looks like a stron% |
aiming toward the regulation of rail, J
ghWay, waterway and intercOastal /
.anspOrtation agencies which carry J
t~erstate commerce.
While the elections may have changed J
Congressional picture to some e.
Mt. the next Congress is expected t. }
practically as subservient to the \
esident as the last two sessions.
le logical conclusions therefore are 4
at transportation legislation, II sui J.
tied by the President, will be en- /
ted in very much the same form a :