Mr. SOUBY. If you will just permit me, Senator, I think you have got the wrong notion about what I am testifying here. This bill involves two things. One is to give the Commission authority to require railroads to install radio. It goes beyond that. It departs completely from the whole theory and original intent of the section of the act which is it amending, and simply injects a new matter.

It just says that over and above giving the Commission authority to require railroads to install safety devices, including radio, the Commission is empowered to make any rules, regulations, and practices it may see fit with respect to operation of trains, which in its opinion are designed to promote safety.

Now the statement up to now that I am delivering has no connection with the radio part of the bill. I am directing myself entirely to that added feature, that added new power that is wholly foreign, I say, to anything that has ever been done before. And we think if it has the meaning that some of these witnesses who support it say it has that it is indefensible legislation. It proposes to authorize the Interstate Commerce Commission, according to these witnesses, to prescribe any conditions it pleases with respect to grade crossings, to go out and order railroads to rebuild their tracks, or bridges, or anything else of that sort; to determine how many men should constitute a train crew, or how many cars could be handled in a train. Now, I say if it means all of that, it is utterly indefensible legislation. I am not talking about the radio aspect of it at all.

You see, Senator, I may have misled you by starting at the back end because I started with what we regard as the utterly indefensible part of the bill, talking about that first. I have not even mentioned the radio until I did in connection with the answer to your question. I am trying to develop the basic objections to this thing and trying to show them to you.

Senator MYERS. At this point the list of railroad radio authorizations you mentioned will be made a part of the record.

(The document referred to is as follows:)

Railroad radio authorizations to May 15, 1949-Continued

Railroad radio authorizations to May 15, 1949—Continued

Mobile.

Birmingham Southern Railroad Co.:

Chicago, Ill.

Ensley, Ala.

Fairfield, Ala.

Mobile..

Bessemer & Lake Erie:

Portable..

Do.

Mobile.

Portable.

Mobile

Boston & Maine:

Boston, Mass.

Greenfield, Mass.

Mechanicville, N. Y.
Mobile

Mechanicville, N. Y.

Call letters

Nature of installation

KA 2687 Y&T; 208 units; 160.65, 158.79, 158.49, 19.4 161.37, and 161.73 mc.

KAWO..
KAA 436.

KA 2691..

WBOR

WRTO

KOA 234.

KQA 378.

KA 2192...

KA 2024

Train; 1 unit; 158.43 and 158.67 me.
Train; 2 uni s; 158.67 mc.

Train; 2 units; 158.67 and 158.43 me.
Y&T; 2 uni s; 158.5, 159.21, and 158.67 me.
Y&T; 3 units; 158.55 and 159.21 me.

Train; LS 159.93 mc. (EE) and 159.69 (YT),
Train; LS; 159.93 mc. (EE) and 159.69 (YT),
Train; LS; 159.93 me. (EE) and 159.69 (YT),
Train; 9 units; 159.69 and 159.93 me.
Y&T; LS; 160.11 mc.

Y&T; 10 units; 160.11 me.

Railroad radio authorizations to May 15, 1949-Continued

Bauroad “adio authorizations to May 15, 1949-Continued

KEA 376.

KEA 374.

KA 2467.

KSA 226.

KSA 223.

KSA 227.

KSA 225.

Railroad radio authorizations to May 15, 1949—Continued

WSKT
WSKU.

WKXT.

KIA 470
KIA 471

КА 2876..