The Fort Peck press., 1936-02-27
REGULATION Of
TRANSPORTATION
President Will Ask New Leri,.
lation of Forthcoming
Congress.

sosslon OF congress Will be asked b
President Roosevelt to enact new lie,
station for regulation Of all forms {
transportation. In the case of Oh
always they are already so complets
y regulated that little moro could b
'uggested without wholly usurpin
he functions Of management. Wit
aspect to interstate commerce NOV
ng on the highways and waterway.
lowever, there Is a wide field for tn
'xercise Of Congressional activity.
Joseph B. Eastman, Federal Co-or
itnator OF Transportation, has pre-
ented his views to the President, bot!
It the summer White House in Hyd,
ark, N. Y, and since the return o
he President to Washington, but thu,
ar Mr.. Eastman has properly declined
o disclose details, although It may b.
afely assumed that many of the pro
1slons written by the Co-ordinatoi
1to the bills presented by Senate,
I'LL In the last session will be en-
odied In the proposals now offeref
or the Presidents approval.
May Be Now Cabinet or7cA
Notwithstanding Mr.. Eastman's s,
ence and the lack of information from
White House sources, there Is pur
'oseful talk In Washington to the eff
ect that the new transportation leg
Station may include the creation of
Iabinet officer to be known as Secre
airy Of Transportation. Obviously
UGH a move would represent quite s
lrastic change from present Govern
nent policies, but the suggestion Is
lot 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
renee 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.
Commission, there may be sound
logic in the creation Of a separate
federal agency to assume some Of the
administrative functions that will de-
in thus extending the field OF
regulation, leaving to the I. G. G. the
luasi judicial functions which 1t Ii 50
veil qualified to perform.
There are two definite schools Of
In Washington dealing with
new national transportation policy.
One hopes that the trend within the
Administration to assume larger con-
rol ove all forms Of private enter
rise may lead to Government owner
hip Of the railways, or at least some
II them, and the other holds that
'wnership may still be left In private
ands but regulation and control
hould be strengthened not alone with
to the railways but with every |
Their form of transportation perform
ag interstate service.
Public Ownership Not Favored.
II public sentiment is to be the |
between these schools, the gov
ownership group could not
In, for public experience with gov
operation of the railways
the war Is still an unpleasant
emory. More than this, however, the
lblic is becoming more and more sen
tive on the subject of taxation and
III, 1t Is believed, frown upon adding
lions to the public debt to acquire
railways and then be further taxed
pay the deficits inevitably arising
ON Government operation.
1t would be most h%eartening and
,lpful If the President would declare.
mself as still supporting the princi-
es Of private ownership, and 1t
ould greatly simplify the problem of
in dealing with the transpor-
ton question next winter.
Whatever proposals may be ap-
owed by the President and whatever
Q reasons behind them may be, 1t Is
rtain now that the Congress which :
sets In January will have to face the
cessity for establishing a govern
ent transportation policy. Leaders
the House and Senate are authority
!. the information that such legisla-
n will be placed rather near the
} Of the list of proposals upon
lich the President Will ask Congress
act, and today 1t looks like a stronc
ming toward the regulation of rail
waterway and intercoasta'
importation agencies which carr
commerce.
While the elections may have changed
Congressional picture to some e.
t, the next Congress Is expected =,
practically as subservient to tt '
as the last two session. p
3 logical conclusions therefore q 0
t transportation legislation, If su Il
ted by the President, will be E ].
ed In very much the same form +,
3 presented.