The Fort Peck press., 1936-01-02
REGULATION Of
TRANSPORTATION
President VIII Ask New Leris-
lation of Forthcoming
Congress-

WASHINGTON The fOrthcomfn
session of Congress will be asked b
President Roosevelt to enact new les
islation for regulation Of all forms o
transportation. IN the case of tn
railways they are already - complete
ly regulated that little more could b.
suggested without wholly usurpinl
the functions Of management. Witt
respect to interstate commerce NOV
ing on the highways and waterways
however, there Is Z 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, boil
at the summe 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 1t may BIZ
safely assumed that many OF the pro
visions written by the Co-ordinatol
into the bills presented by Senator
Din In the last session will be en-
bodied in the proposals % 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-
poseful talk In Washington to the eff.
feet that the new transportation leg
islataon may include the creation Of a
cabinet officer to be known as Seere-
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 Z 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-
merce Commission, there may be sound
logic in the creation of & 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. G. the
quasi judicial functions which it Is 80
we'll qualified to perform.
There are tive 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 10 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 moi
win, for public experience with gov
eminent operation Of the railways
during the war is still sn 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, fFown upon adding
billions to the public debt TO acquire
the railways and then be further taxed
to pay the deficits inevitably ariEtng
Government operation.
Ii would be most heartenipg and
helpful If the President would declare
himself as still supporting the prlnci-
pies Of private ownership. and It
would greatly simplify the problem OF
Congress In dealing with the transpor-
tation question next winter.
Whatever proposals may BIO Ri
proved by the President and wh&;e5+:
the reasons behind them may be, It l.
now that the Congress wh!rh
in January will have to face tEr
necessity for establishing a govern
transportation policy. LEADER
the House and Senate are authority
the information that such legisls
ton Will be placed rather near th-
ton of the list of proposals upo;
which the President will ask Congress
to act. and today II looks like a str3nr
.eaning toward the regulation Of rail
highway, waterway and intercoast2
transportation agencies which carr
commerce.
While the elections may have chang
he Congressional picture to some e.
the next Congress Is expected t
,e practically as su~baeryient to t.
PRESIDENT as the last two session
The logical conclusions therefore a
hat transportation legislation, If SIT
by the President, will he 9
In very much the same forUl