The Fort Peck press., 1935-12-05
REGULATION Of
TRANSPORTATION
President VIII Ask New Legis-
lation of Forthcoming
Congress.

81 "
transportation. In the case of tn
railways they are already so complete
ly regulated that little more could b
suggested without wholly usurpini
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 B. Eastman, Federal Co-or
dinator of Transportation, has pre-
scented his views to the President, bott
at the summer White House in Hyde
Park. N. Y, and since the return o.
the President to Washington, but thus
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 ST.
lence and the lack Of information from
White House sources, there Is pur-
poseful talk In Washington to the ef
feet that the new transportation leg
fslation 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
ment 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 4 Secretary of
Transportation are as potent today as
when originally put forward. Perma.
n 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 some of the
administrative functions that Will de-
velop In thus extending the field Of
regulation, leaving to the I. G. c. the
quasi judicial functions which it Is so
well qualified to perform.
There are two definite schools of
thought In Washington dealing with
a new national transportation policy.
One hopes that the trend within the
Administration to assume larger On
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
should be strengthened not alone with
respect 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
eminent ownership group could not
win, for public experience with gov
eminent operation of the railways
the war Is still an unpleasant
memory. More than this, however, the
is becoming more and more sen
sitive on the subject of taxation and
will, it Is believed, frown upon adding
billions to the public debt to acquire
the railways and hen be further taxed
to pay the deficits inevitably arising
Government operation.
1t would be most heartening and
If the President would declare
himself as still supporting the princi-
pies Of private ownership. and 1t
would greatly simplify the problem Of
Congress in dealing with the transpor.
.ation question next winter.
Whatever proposals may be ap
proved by the President and whatever
he reasons behind them may be, it is
certain now that the Congress which
meets in January will have to face tn"
necessity for establishing a goYera.
nent transportation policy. Leader.
n the House and Senate are aHfh0rl'.
or the information that such ltgialq
ion will be placed rather near III,
op Of the list of proposals upo'
which the President will ask Congrae.
o act, and to-day It looks like a stronr
Gaming toward the regulation OF raj
lighway, waterway and intercoaet1
transportation agencies which carr
omaierce.
While the elections may have chang
he Congressional picture to some ey
ent. the next Congress Is expected (
g practically as subseryient to t. II
resident as the last two session.
he logical conclusions therefore a
hat transportation legislation. If 81
by the President. will he
in very much the same f0Tr!