The Fort Peck press., 1936-02-13
REGULATION Of
TRANSPORTATION
President Will Ask New Leri,.
lation of Forthcoming
Congress,

session OF OngreS Will be asked b
President Roosevelt to enact new lei
station for regulation Of all forms {
transportation. In the case Of tn
railways they are already SO complete
" regulated that little more could b
suggested without wholly usurpin
he functions Of management. Wit
aspect to Interstate commerce NOV
ng on the highways and waterway.
however, there Is a wide field for III
exercise Of Congressional activity.
Joseph B. Eastman, Federal Co-or
iinator Of Transportation, has pre-
ented his views to the President, bot
1t 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 1t nay b.
afely assumed that many Of the pro
isions written by the Co-ordinatol
nto the bills presented by Senate,
ill In the last session will be en-
'odied in the proposals now offereC
or the Presidents approval.
May Be Now Cabinet Office.
Notwithstanding Mr.. Eastman's 81
ence and the lack Of Information fror
White House sources, there Is pur
'oseful talk In Washington to the e.
ect that the new transportation les
station may include the creation OF {;
,abinet officer to be known as Secre
airy of Transportation Obviously
such q move would represent quite 1,
lrastic change from present Govern
nent policies, but the suggestion l.
lot new, having been proposed for To-
consideration OF Congress when thf
transportation Act Of 1920 was bein,
discussed.
The objections to 4 Secretary O.
transportation are as potent today az
when originally put forward. Perma
n OF Administration Is imperative
md Is not achieved by the change.
that periodically take place In cabinef
appointments, but Washington author
ties do agree that If regulation OF all
forms Of interstate transportation h
to be entrusted to tho 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. O. @. the
quasi judicial functions which It Is nc
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 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
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, 1t 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
rom Government operation.
1t would be most h~eartening and |
helpful If the President would declare
as still supporting the princi-
oles Of private ownership, and II
would greatly simplify the problem of
congress in dealing with the transpor-
question next winter.
Whatever proposals may be ap
proved by the President and whatever
he reasons behind them may be, 1t Is
now that the Congress which
meets In January will have to face the
necessity for establishing a govern,
nent transportation policy. Leaders
n the House and Senate are authority
or the information that such legisla
lon will be placed rather heal the
op of the list OF proposals upon
Ihich the President will ask Congress
act, and today 1t looks like a stronc
toward the regulation OF rail
ighway, waterway and intercoasta
'ansportation agencies which carr,
lterstate commerce..
While the elections may have changet
lie Congressional picture to some e.
the next Congress Is expected t
practically as subservient to IT,.
as the last two session |
he logical conclusions therefore a, I
lat transportation legislation, II gu f,
by the President, will be G
cted In very much the same form
II presented.