Carbon County news., 1937-10-08

covering that hearing who felt b
tried to do the job fairly. ="
So now Morrison Shafroth AM
Russell Ryan are back in privat
life and in their places are mel
picked by Mr.. oliphant, men VIII,
are likely to obey orders regardless
of the whins of Mr.. Oliphant ant
Secretary Morgenthau.
Another instance Of official &C
tion that seems to indicate a bae
>. trend in govern
indicates ment lately ha.
Bad Trend occurred. This in
cident was propa
gated by the federal power commits,
sion, one Of the numerous federal
agencies that is supposed, to be
largely judicial in character but
which is equipped at the same time
with administrative powers.
The facts are these:
There was a group Of men who
served as directors Of the Associat.
ed Gas and Electric company
These same individuals were direc-
tors for numerous corporations that
are subsidiaries Of that same com.
pany.
The federal power act provides
that the commission may require
directors OF one power company to
divest themselves of connection
with any other power companies
one Of the strongest features of the
law. The commission is empowered
to make, its own investigation of
these interlocked directorates and
then ON its own motion may require
such directors to appear and give
the commission satisfactory reasons
why they are holding places on the
boards Of more than one corpora
ton. This also is a sound provision
of law and undoubtedly works to the
benefit Of all consumers of Light and
power.
Before ! proceed further, let it
be definitely understood that / have
not a great deal of respect for the
Associated Gas and Electric COM
pany. Its record does not warrant
my respect as an observer. I'm
doubtedly, however, its manage
ment complies with the terms Of its
corporate charter but as. a great
public utility it has obligations to
the public beyond the terms Of it's
charter and it is my opinion that
the moral obIiga atoms are such that
this age demands full observation Of
them. r To- =
~ This brings us to the crux Of the
power commission action. Late in
September Vice Chairman Seavey
of the commission had ordered the
group Of directors referred to above
to show cause why they should not
be compelled to relinqlIish various
positions on other boards Of direc-
tors. "A hearing date was set. A
few days before the hearing date,
the directors in question resigned
the positions to which the commits
sion objected and then their attor-
ney issued a statement which said,
in effect, that they had resigned
because they were convicted in the
minds of the commission before the
commissioners had heard the case.
He used rather strong language,
perhaps too strong in expressing his
views.
Upon publication of the attorneys
statement, Vice Chairman Seavey
promptly ordered him to appear be-
fore the commission to give his
reasons for the statement and to.
defend himself against disbarment
from practice as lawyer before
the commission.
Now, lest I be misunderstood,
do not know the attorney, Mr.. Pax
son; I know nothing about the mer-
it's of the case in question. But it is
significant that an agency of the
government suddenly decides that it
can prevent a man from earning his
living because he criticized men,
bers Of that agency.
Occasionally, situations develop in
national politics that provide a real
-. -.-.* laugh. One of
Just q them is not at
Big Laugh hand. It results
from the nasty
controversy that swirls around the
head of Hugo Black of Alabama,
newly appointed associate justice
of the Supreme court, who is
charged with being a member of the
Ku Klux Klan.
Terrible as is the charge and |
worse If it eventuates that Mr.. JUS
tice Black still is subject to the oath |
of the invisible empire, there is hui
NOR in the way a lot of senators
and other. government officials are
running to cover. It has been al |
most scramble among Democrat !
ic senators to let the public know
by issuing statements that they |
would not have voted for Senator
Blacks confirrnatio as a member
a ~ ss....I4r:e 4lsS.S - L. l.