The Fort Peck press., 1935-12-12
REGULATION OF
TRANSPORTATION
President Will Ask New Legis-
lation of Forthcoming
Congress-

8 lslation for regulation Of all forms O
g 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. Witt
respect to Interstate M 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-
sented 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
Whlte House sources, there is pur-
poseful talk In Washington to the eff.
fect that he new transportation leg
islat1on 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 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 Cd
regulation, leaving to the |. G. c. the
quasi judicial functions which 1t 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 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 WIFI
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 corld not
win, for public experience with gov
operation of the railways
the war is still an unpleasant
memory. More than this, however, the
is becoming more and more sen
or the subject Of taxation an.
viii, 1t is believed, frown upon adding
to the public debt to acquire
he railways and then be further taxed
o pay the det!cits inevitably arising
Government operation.
1t would be most h~e0rten!ng and
If the President would declare
imself as still supporting the princi-
les of private ownership, and II
you'd greatly simplify the problem o.
in dealing with the trans3or
alton question next winter.
Whatever proposals may be AZ
roved by the President and whateve'
he reasons behind them may be. It l.
ertain now that the Congress which
leets In January will have to face IL.
e~cessity for establishing a govern :
lent transportation policy. L2ajcr- q
the House and SeAate are authnrit} .
" the Information that such legis.a
on viii be placed rather near IT, ~
of the list Of proposals upo' 8
hich the President viii ask Congrcgs .
act, and today 1t looks like a stroN"
9ning toward the regulation OF raj &
ighway, waterway ard i~nterc0nst4 b
ansportatjon agencies which car: =
commerce.. =.
While the elections may have chanro' b
e Congressional picture to some G, G dT
Mt, the NEXT Congress is expected {. Xxi
practically as suhseryient to t ne
a. Ely
eSIVeHl us Lle tfSL Two ScSSln ity
le logical conclusions therefore :. t..
at transportation lnrls'ation. If So re
tied by the President. viii be gu
ted in very much the same form n ~,
is presented. an