Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-17
A SHORTAGE OF CARS
Denial of Rumor Of Special
Message
OR TO OPERATE RAILROADS
To Relieve the Congestion in the
West.
,NE REPLY RECEIVED TODAY
From President Elliott Of the North
ern Pacific, Saying What He Has
Foreseen and Tried to Avoid.

from sources pretty close to the Presi-
dent as to the suggestion that the latter
may send to Congress a special message
urging that body to enact law empow-
ering the interstate commerce commits
sion to take charge of the physical opera
ton of railroads in emergencies such as
now exist relating to car shortage, ssae-
cially where this shortage affects fuel and
other necessaries Of life.
That the President is deeply interested
in the situation as to car shortage has been
shown in a number of ways. as hereto
fore told in The Star. but that he has
adopted any of the many plans submitted
to him for the relief is not true. The sug-
gestion of the government taking charge
of railroads under certain conditions has
been made to the President by a man who
Is we'll posted as to railroad rate and other
kindred matters, but the President has
not adopted the suggestion by any means
and will probably not do so.
The President is waiting for the inter-
state commerce commission to complete
its investigations as to car shortage, and
make a report. Until this Investigation
is completed he will not be able to deter
mine what course he should pursue and
will not attempt to reach a conclusion in
advance. He realizes the seriousness of
the whole thing, and is daily receiving let
tiers and kilograms about it. but he has
no way of learning the facts except through
constituted organization like the inter
state commerce commission, which he has
asked to speed its work of investigation.
One Reply Today.
Car shortage and freight congestion are
taking up much of the attention of the in
terstate commerce commission. The re-
ports of suffering in the northwest continue
to come i'll more rapidly than % the replies
of the railroads that have been telegraphed
by the commission concerning it.
There was only one telegram received this
morning that came near the heart of the
distressed district. 1t was from the North
ern Pacific and was signed by Howard Ell
lott. president of the road. It was as fol-
lows:
Your message December IA received
There is a scarcity CT fuel in some parts of
the country served by our line, but we do
not know of any shortage of other neces-
saries of life. Our company has done, and
will continue to do. all that 1t can to pre-
vent suffering. The company realized in
June and July last that the fuel supply was
likely to be inadequate. and that the great
increase In general business would proba bly,
produce a congestion in the autumn. We.
therefore urged all dealers at that time to
look ahead and provide stock of coal
early. and to try to find new sources of
supply:
Il think the reason given in your message,
namely, extraordinary delays in moving, is
incorrect, so far as this company is con-
and Washington is that not enough coal Is
being produced to supply promptly the in
CREASED domestic trade and at the same
TINE furnish the railroad with fuel for the
operation of its trains. Then, in November,
unprecedented floods in and west of the
Cascade mountains damaged our tracks SO
that trains could not move over important
parts of the road for more than a week.
and number of important coal mines
could not be reached. This flood damage
complicated the situation.
In North Dakota and Minnesota the diff
Guilty in part is due to trying to move too
much fuel In a very short time and in
part to an increase in the consumption of
fuel that Is greater than the increase in
facilities for handling, moving and storing
1t. Also to a general increase in the move
ment of miscellaneous commodities which
cannot be ignored without subjecting our
selves to charge of discrimination. For
a month particular attention has been given
to the movement of coal and that COM
modify is now being given preference both
as to cars and service.
I'VE know of only one case on our line
in North Dakota where there has been
serious difficulty, and believe that has
been relieved The very serious blizzard
of the last few days in North Dakota has
caused delays because of snow blockades.
and it has been difficult to move freight
promptly for that reason.
Il shall be glad if you will name In de-
tail the complaints in territory served by
our lines. SO that we may take up each
one and do the best we can to furnish re-
lief. We have in a number of cases turned
over company coal to protect local de-
mands. and we are doing everything we
can to take care Of the situation and will
continue to do So"
reply from the Great Northern. James
j. Hill $ road, is awaited with much inter-
est.
A Drastic Step.
Coupled with the car shortage situation
there is rumor afioat that the President
contemDlates the drastic step of recon-
mending that the interstate commerce COM
mission be empowered to take over the ac-
tual management of the railroads in times
of emergency such as this. So far even the
recent rate law merely empowered the COM
mission to regulate the price charged for
transportation. But 1t Is rumored that the
President intended to send to Congress a
message recommending an extension of
the law and giving the commission power
to direct the movement and distribution
of cars when it saw fit
This would practically amount to gov
eminent ownership. and is the most radi-
cal step ever contemplated in connection
with the railroads. 1t may be said. how
ever. that 1t is not new. Secretary Olney
having the same thing in mind when he
was in office.
When the subject was preached at the
interstate commerce commission today no
one would discuss the possibility, on the
ground that 1t was too big a subject to
handle in an Interview. The natural ex-
PLANTATION. however. is that the suggestion
is rather too momentous for any of the
commissioners 10 talk about except on di-
rect authorization from the White House.
1t is said that bill looking to the
management of the roads by the Interstate
commerce commission is now being draft
ed by Judge Cowan. attorney for the Texas
Cattle Growers Association. He took a
prominent part in shaping the present
rate law. and it is understood that he has
already presented a draft of the proposed
new measure to the President who in
turn has referred it to the interstate COM
merce commission. No positive confrma-
ton of this report WAS obtainable today.