The Fort Peck press., 1936-01-23
REGULATION Of
TRANSPORTATION
President Will Ask New Lasis-
lation Of Forthcoming
Congress.

= IN 1lCOilt1
session Of Congress Will be asked b
President Roosevelt to enact new lie,
lslation for regulation Of all forms
transportation. In the case Of til
railways they are already so complete
ly regulated that little more could b
suggested without wholly usurpin
the functions Of management. Wit
respect to interstate commerce 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-
scented his views to the President, bot
at the summer White Honse In Hgd
Park, N. T., and since the return o
the President to Washington, but thu;
far Mr.. Eastman has properly decline,
to disclose details, although 1t may b,
safely assumed that many Of the pro
visions written by the Co-ordinatol
into the bills presented by Senate
Dill In the last session viii be EN-
bodied In the proposals now ofere{
for the Presidents approval
May 30 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 ef
feet that the new transportation leg
islation may include the creation Of q
cabinet officer to be known as Secre-
tary Of Transportation. Obviously,
such a move would represent quite q
drastic change from present Govern,
ment policies, but the s~uggestsas is
not new, having been proposed f0r the
consideration Of Congress when the
Transportation Act ofGa20 was being
discussed.
The objections to q Secretary OF
Transportation are as potent today as
when originally put forward. Perma.
n Of Administration is imperative
and is not achieved By the changes
that periodically take place In cabinet
appointments, but washington author
forms Of interstate transportation Is
to be entrusted to the Interstate Com
merce 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 It Is 50
we'll qualified to perform.
There are two definite schools OF
thought In Washington dealing with
q 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 TIE other holds thai
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
ernment ownership group could net
win, for public experience with gov
erasnent 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 aiding
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 hearten!nc and
helpful if the President would declare
himself as still supporting the prlnct
pies Of private ownership. and f.
would greatly simplify the problem o.
Congress in deFling with the transpor
tatton question next winter.
Whatever proposals may be ar
proved by the President and whatovo.
the reasons behind them may he. II I
now that the Congress whit!
meets In January will have to face IT,"
necessity for establishing a govern
ment transportation policy. I@ade'
In the Horse and Senate are authority
for the Information that such legisla
ton Will be placed rather nea II
Of the list Of proposals u,E'
which the President VIII ask Congrpc.
to act, and today 1t looks Ike a stron
toward the regulation of ra'
highway. waterway and intercoaSf"
transportation agencies which carr
interstate commerce.
While the elections may have chanct
he Congressional picture to some Q
.ent. the next Congress is expected (
De practically as suhservient to t.
President as the last two scssioa
The logical conclusions therefore a
hat transportation legislation, If su
by the President. will be e,
in very much the same form
Z ia DraSentpd !