Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-11
Fairfax Harrison Says the
President Should Solve
Present Railway Problems.
CITES VARIANT VIEWS
AS MENACE TO BUSINESS
Warren G. Harding Suggests Inter
state Control of Transportation.
Speakers at N. Y. Dinner.

NEW YORK, December 11.-An APP
peal to President Wilson to solve the
railway problem, or ito establish d
constitution of peace among the vari-
ant views and interests which menace
the success of the system of transpor-
tation," was made by Fairfax Harrison,
president of the Southern Railway, in
an address at the annual dinner of the
night. The association is a national
organization of manufacturers, mcr-
chants and engineers dealing with rail-
ways.
Mr.. Harrison said:
I'm the controversy between the own
ers of railroads and the representatives
of the public, >the pendulum has now
swung to an extreme ON the side of
irresponsible public power as it had
previously swung to an extreme on the
side of irresponsible ownership.
THE conception is that in the i'm
position of burdens railroad companies
are public concerns and subject to the
public regulating power, but, IN the
matter of relief, are private property
and not entitled to be considered from
the standpoint of their public service.
Says It Cannot Endure.
Like the previous stage of irrespon-
sible private control, the existing sys-
tenn or irresponsible, rigid and divided
regulation cannot permanently endure.
My present purpose is not to venture to
suggest the solution, but the source
from which an acceptable solution
must come.
THE problem is a statesman's oppor-
tunity. He who solves it must be trust
ed by all the people. He must be above
the suspicion of selfish motive. All the
lessons of history must be at his COM
mand. He must be pro1ouQd student
OF human action and of human govern
ment. He must have power to I'M
press his views upon his fellowmen.
He must be able, with just and equal
nand, to divide unto capital and unto
labor it's living.
He must be able to assure the public
of the correction of abuses, the estab-
lishment of justice and the malnte-
nance of facilities adequate for tneIr
needs, and ne must be able to assure
the private owner OF protection OF ms
just interests and of fairness 10 his
Just rights. He must be able to recon-
Gle the people to his philosophy oil
regulation and the politician to the loss
or a highly valued political asset. is
there a man among us VINO is capable
of this?
Suggests President Wilson.
Il venture to suggest that the pres
ent President /of the United States is
equal to thD great achievement. The
time seems ripe for him to undertake
it. He has recently in an impressive
way shown publicly Il sympathetic ap-
probation of the railroad situation.
The fact thus made evident, that he
has grasped the point of view from
which d solution OF this problem must
be approached, has aroused in the
minds of many the hope that before
laying down the reinS of government
he VIII propose and work out some
constructive plan that will give sta
bility to railroad investment and
growth.
NO ambition could be more worthy
than to establish constitution of
peace among the variant views and
interests which menace the success OF
the system of transportation. No serv-
ice to his fellow-men could be Ioftier
or d finer service than to place this
high interest of the people upon Il
sound, a stable and permanent foun-
dation.
II think l properly interpret the men
now charged with the responsibility of
railroad management when l say that
they will welcome solution of the
problem, however it may differ from
any preconceived views, and will meet