Evening star., 1939-06-18
Increasing l. G. G. Leadership
In Policy Field Foreshadowed
Internal Reorganization and Choice of Eastman
as New Chairman Believed Prelude to
Broadening of Activities
Bv J. A. For.

Underlying the plan of internal Or
ganization which the Interstate Com
merce Commission is preparing to put
into effect July is the strong possibil-
ity that the agency in the future will
supplement its regulatory functions with
increasing participation in the policy
making field of the transportation in
dustry generally.
Operations in this area necessarily
would be of limited scope. AS the COM
mission has pointed out, the so-called
promotional activities are not officially
within the range of its duties, which
are quasi-legislative, and to a lesser
extent, quasi-judicial and quasi-exec-
utive.
There is no reason, however, why the
commission should not proceed inform
ally, II this is necessary, in seeking to
initiate reforms to meet the revolution
ary changes which recent years have
brought in transportation. AS a matter
of fact, the agency has been criticized
for not doing something of the sort, and
there are indications that this is he
line to be followed.
One phase of the reorganization-the
setting up of the commission chairman
ship on new basis, and the appoint
ment OF Joseph B. Eastman to the Of
6ce-strongly supports this view.
Statute Added to Position.
For many years the Craftsmanship ro-
tated annually, until it has come to be
little more than an empty honor The
incumbent, particularly if he happened
to be newer member of the commits
sion, hardly has had time to familiarize
himself with the requirements of the po-
sition before stepping aside for his sue
cessor. Only by a stretch of the imag-
lnation could he be regarded as the
spokesman Tor the agency
The new arrangement is designed
= very definitely to change this situation
and add stature to the position The
chairmanship is to be for three years;
there is a greater Capitalization of au-
thority in the Office, and details with
which the tltular head previously has
been tied down have been shifted else
where, giving the official an opportu-
nifty to devote more time to the major
aspects of the position, whether han
ding matters inside or outside of the
commission. Too, he retains the chair
manship of the commissions Legislative
Committee, which deals with Congress
on carrier legislation.
The appointment of Mr.. Eastman as
the first chairman under the new ar
rangement serves to emphasize the i'm
portance the commission attaches to
the post. One of the most retiring Off
cials in the Government, Commissioner
Eastman, paradoxically, is one of the
best known, and it was by the unani-
mouse vote Of his colleagues that he
was chosen to direct the new setup,
Chairman M. M. Caskie, who had
served but half year, declining to be
considered for the enlarged term.
BY that move the commission was as
sured of a spokesman who, labeled as
an independent" in politics, has the
regard of the administration, of Con-
gress, the transportation industry and
the shipping public, and it goes with
out saying that its position was strength
ened correSpondingly.
1t apparently gave evidence, too that
the commission is going along with
Commissioner Eastmans well-known
views on the necessities of carriers gen.
orally, and railroads particularly, the
chairman-desigRte having argued in
season and out for co-ordinations and
consultations to promote greater econ
omy in operation, and in behalf of an
integrated transportation system which
would see each type of carrier perform
ing the work for which it is best fitted.
AS co-ordinator of transportation in
the early days of the Roosevelt admin.
istration, Mr. Eastman sought unsuc-
cessfully to put into effect modest plan
of coordination involving terminal IA
Cilities In number of rail centers. Man
agement and labor united in opposition,
and after couple of fruitless years,
with the Office of co-ordinator under
fire, Congress let it die.
The same forces that fought unifica-
ton before still are active, and the mere
fact that the commission supported the
principle would be no guarantee of
constructive accomplishment; it might
easily weigh heavily, however, toward
getting something started.
Leadership Seen Needed.
proposition that Government leadership
in this field is called for and in the
last annual report favored the proposal
made to President Roosevelt by COM
mittee of its own members named
by the White House Commissioners
Splawn, Eastman and Mahaffie-for the
creation of special transportation au-
thority which could employ mixture of
coaxing and compulsion to reform
the transportation structure. President
Roosevelt sent this program to Congress
without recommendation, but solely as
''one method which should receive con-
gressional study" and there it has since
rested.
In the meantime, another presidential
commission composed of representatives
of management and labor has submitted
a report which also favors the transpor-
tation authority idea-sans any element
of force, however-and this proposal has
been translated into legislation that has
passed the Senate and now is in the
House Interstate Commerce Committee.
Believing as it does that more posi-
tive approach than this is called for, the
commission, through conferences, might
Law tho proi1nduork for some r,rooron,