Evening star., 1936-03-25
SHORTHAND VETO
CONTINUES CHAOS
Control of Reporting Indus
try Is Passed Up by
New Deal.
BY CARLISLE BARGERON.

Dx ChnLkoLE OhRoLROANs
President Roosevelt has vetoed a bill
designed to bring order out Of the
chaos in the shorthand reporting in
dustry. 1t Is not that he is in favor
of chaos in that industry, but to bring
about order under the method pro-
posed by Congress would cost too
much.
1t was not generally known. times
being as crowded as they are, that
there was chaos in the Shorthand re-
porting business, but Representative
Eagle of Texas thought there was and
he got any number Of witnesses be-
fore the House Judiciary Committee
which would have eliminated 1t or put
! the chaos on a higher plane.
Eagle bill would have set up a
Federal board to pass on shorthand
reporters. Under it only shorthand
reporters who had passed the boards
examination. and therefore were en-
titled the wear the initials IF. c. S. R.. I"
meaning Federal certified shorthand
reporter, would be able to do any
reporting with which the United
States Government was concerned.
The board would have been COM
posed of three men, citizens of the
United States, who would receive $25
day and expenses when they were
examining. Eagle originally planned
to let an alien who had declared his
intention Of becoming a citizen serve
on the board, but the Judiciary Com
mittee struck this out with frown
of disapproval.
To be effective in bring order out
Of the chaos in the industry, the
board would have been empowered
ito administer oaths and affirmations,
subpoena witnesses. compel their at
tendance, take evidence, and require
the production of any books papers,
| correspondence, memoranda, or other
records . ="
Argument for Bill.
Representative Chandler of Tennes-
see wrote the report for the bill when
the Judiciary Committee ordered it
presented to the House.
1T is highly essential" he reported,
that only shorthand reporters of
proved skill and competency be en-
ployed by the Government in its
various agencies where testimony is
taken, because not only the property
rights. but even the lives and liber-
ties Of citizens may depend upon the
ABSOLUTE accuracy of the records"
He pointed out that although Iowa,
New York, Colorado, California, Ten
nessee and other States had short
hand reporting boards there was no
Federal legislation on the subject and
this resulted in the Government often
getting incompetent shorthand re-
porters.
He cited the secretary Of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission who ap-
peared before the committee and said
something must be done" about the
situation. He also cited the indorse-
ment Of many presidents of bar as
sociations and judges who wrote that
accuracy In the matter Of shorthand
reporting was an aim to which the
Federal Government with its ramifed
agencies might well aspire.
From out in Iowa, came q letter to
Senator Murphy of that State, from
Judge Frank D. Kelsey, saying: "As
lawyer of many years, practice, and
as judge. am interested in the
passage of these bills, and respectfully
urge that you give them your favorable
consideration" Representative Chan
dler in his report said Judge Kelsey
represented the attitude of the
public"
Terms Of Measure.
The bill read:
When used in this act, the term
shorthand reporting means the max
ing. by use of symbols or abbrevia-
tions, OF a verbatim record of any oral
testimony. proceeding, hearing, or trial
before a court. commission, independ-
ent agency Of the Government, master.
referee, convention. deliberative as
sembly, or proceedings of like char
acter"
1t was necessary to put that in, It
was explained, so some lawyer couldn't
come along in later years and throw
the shorthand industry back into
chaos. But this proved the undoing
OF the dechaosing movement. Mr..
Roosevelt ruled that many agencies
OF the Government now use Just
ordinary stenographers when they
want something taken down, while the
scope of the bill would have called
for the higher paid shorthand re-
porters on such Jobs.
The New Dealers say this bellies
the Republicans convention that Mr..
Roosevelt wants to regulate every
thing.