WILLIAM O. DOUGLAS ON THE TRANSFER OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION'S AUTHORITY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RULES FOR FINANCIAL REPORTING

As an SEC Commissioner, William O. Douglas favored active SEC participation in the development of rules of accounting for financial reporting under the Securities Acts. A retrospective letter dated September 29, 1973 indicates that the pre-War SEC Commission did not contemplate the virtually complete transfer to the private sector of the authority for development of corporate financial reporting that characterizes the position of today's SEC.