The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1940-05-23

reaucracy, written around the vacil
lating action of the New Deal-Federa
Communications Commission in re
gard to television broadcasting.
There we had an example of the
Roosevelt Administration genera
hostility to commercial and industrial
progress and also an example of the
swiftness with which New Deal reg.
ulatory agency can reverse itself, leav
ing business in a state of bewilder.
ment as to what may be expected
next.
Now we have an example of the New
Deals eternal itch for constant change
for no other apparent reason than to
make a change. This example con-
Germs the Presidents reorganization
order under which the now indepen-
dent Civil Aeronautics Authority
would be placed under the Secretary of
Commerce, with the abolition of the
Air Safety Board.
DEATHS OF ARMY PILOTS
RECALLED
1t will be recalled that this is not tire
first time that the New Deal has med
died with aviation. Shortly after Presi-
dent Roosevelt took office, his politi-
cally-minded Postmaster General sum-
marily cancelled air mail contracts
with the major airlines and turned the
carrying of mails over to Army pilots.
AS result, it further will be recalled,
number of Army pilots were killed
In their unaccustomed efforts to carry
on this task.
Those with good memories also will!
recall the large number of fatalities
in airplane accidents when CONNER
cial aviation was under the jurisdic-
ton of the Commerce Department, Gull
minating with the death of the late
Senator Bronson Cutting of New Mex
leo.
Finally in 1938-less than two years
ago-Congress, on the recommended
ton of Administration spokesman, let
it be remembered, established the Civil
Aeronautics Authority and the Air
Safety Board to regulate commercial
aviation in this country.
There was one distinguishing fea-
ture about this legislation. Not only
were these agencies made indepen-
dent of the Administration, subject
only to the direction of Congress, but
administrative and executive func-
tions were separated from the job OF
framing regulations and each was sep
arated from the judicial function =
that is, determining who was at fault
when something went wrong.
PROSECUTORS NOT JUDGES,
TOO.
In other words, under this legisla-
ton the same group of men were
not sitting as judges over their ac-
lions nor were they sitting as julics
and prosecuting attorneys at the same
time, as does the National Labor Rela-
tons Board.
At all events, the new aviation law
worked very well. Freed from the
domination of a political minded de-
partment the agency recruited COM
petent personnel to take over the job
of supervising commercial aviation.
Those in charge knew their business
and soon won the support of the gem
eral public and of the aviation indus
try. Most important of all is the fact
that for more than a year now there
hos not been a single fatality on an
American airline. Never before has
so long a period elapsed without ia
tally.
Hardly had the cheers of the ava-
ton industry celebrating this signal
achievement died down than MI.
Roosevelt threw his bomb-shell. He
notified Congress that his Fourth Re-
organization Order contemplated the
merging of the Civil Aeronautics Au-
thority with the Commerce Depart
ment, subject to the supervision of the
Secretary of Commerce. His order also
contemplated abolition of the Air
Safety Board, transferring its duties
to the new Civic Aeronautics Author
ity and thus again placing in the same
hands the function of administration,
law-making and judicial determina-
ton.
THE WEEKS BIG LAUGH!
WHY? None seems to know. Mr..
Roosevelts only explanation was that
he was actuated by motives of econ
omy. The merger would save a few
thousand dollars a year. This eXpla-
nation is just too funny, in view of
Mr.. Roosevelt's wasteful and prodigal
spending activities, for anyone to take
seriously.
Since a storm of controversy broke
over his proposal, Mr.. Roosevelt tried
other explanations but each has been
shattered by facts as soon as it was
projected. Finally Mr.. Roosevelt has
commended that anyone who opposes
him in this regard must be either ig-
norant, gullible or playing politics. In
Al. -. ,,.z,,I. THE ZINC CAM M Mo