The Fort Peck press., 1935-10-24
REGULATION Of
TRANSPORTATION
President Will Ask New Leai,.
lation Of Forthcoming
Congress-

HAo1tl1NG1O1N. LIS IOTIlCOnfn8
session of Congress will be asked by
President Roosevelt to enact new leg
islation for regulation OF all forms of
transportation. In the case of the
railways they are already so complete
ly regulated that little more could be
the functions of management. With
respect to Interstate commerce NOV
Ing on the highways and waterways,
however, there Is q wide field for the
exercise of Congressional activity.
Joseph B.. Eastman, Federal Co-or-
dinator of Transportation, has pre-
scented his views to the President, both
at the summer White House In Hyde
Park, N. Y, and since the return of
the President to Washington, but thus
far Mr.. Eastman has properly declined
to disclose details, although 1t may be
safely assumed that many Of the pro-
visions written by the Oo-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 eff.
feet that the new transportation leg
islation may include the creation of a
cabinet officer to be known as Secre-
tary Of Transportation. Obviously,
such q 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 a 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
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 I. G. C. the
quasi judicial functions which 1t is so
we'll 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 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
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.
II 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
during the war Is still an unpleasant
memory. More than this, however, the
public 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 then be further taxed
to pay the deficits inevitably arising
from Government operation.
1t would be most ~heartening ant
if the President would declare
as still supporting the prlnci-
pies Of private ownership. and Il
would greatly simplify the problem o.
Congress in dealing with the transpor
tation question next winter.
Whatever proposals may be az
proved by the President and whateye
the reasons behind them may be, It Y
now that the Congress which
meets in January will have to face Il.
necessity for establishing a govern
ment transportation policy. Leader.
n the House and Senate are authOrit,
hr the information tl.at such lcgisla
ion will be placed rather near II
.op Of the list Of proposals Itpo:
which the President will ask Con",es.
70 act, and today it looks like a stror.
toward the regulation Of "a
highway, waterway and i%ntercoaste
transportation agencies which carr
Interstate commerce.
While the elections may have chang.
he Congressional picture to some G
ent. the neXt Congress IS expected I
)e practically as subservient to