The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-29

single expression the philosophy his ex- perienee had taught him. This personal characteristic led to a wider public read ing of the testimony than would probably have been the case had MT. Mellen ap- peared to be a stoid, reserved or reluctant witness.
 For time there was apprehension that the testimony might put an end to the agreement between the department Of justice at Washington and Howard Elliott. now chairman of the New Haven board of without litigation, to be separated from some of the properties which the Attorney General regarded as having been pur- chased and operated in violation of the sherman law.
 Then, again, upon second thought, it
 was realized that the Mellen regime and the Mellen methods are history, and that under MT. E1liotts management the New Haven corporation is beginning a new career in which. it is firmly believed, there will be developed no situations similar to any of those described by MT. Mellen in his testimony. The New Haven corpora tion has been subjected to thorough housecleaning, so to speak, since MT. Mel len retired from the presidency nine ago. There is not a hint of high so-called. in it's recent manage ment. This work of cleansing the system of impurities has received the cordial CO., operation and support of the entire board of directors. MT. Mellen's testimony, in which he describes the manner of his re- tirement from the New Haven system upon the suggestion of J. P. Morgan, who succeeded his father as a director, con firms an impression which has prevailed since last summer that the directors then believed that there should be radical changes in the heretofore characteristic policy of the New Haven company, and that it would be impossible to make these changes unless a man of very high char acter and of widely recognized achieve ments were selected for this responsibility From the moment that 1t was deemed ex- pedient for MT. Mellen to retire. the minds of the directors were fixed upon Howard Elliott. This was in part due to strong of opinion in New England, and especially in Boston, that MT. Elliott possessed the character, the capacity and the experience which are necessary if the change of policy were to be com passed.
 Ex-Parte Testimony
 It has been recognized also that MT. Mellen was not subjected to any other cross examination than that which Gov ernor Folk employed to supplement the direct examination. A careful reading of the testimony leads to the impression that, with possibly two exceptions, there was no unlawful diversion of money from the New Haven railroad to those with whom 1t dealt. This does not mean that there was no extravaganza that was almost criminal in spirit and no reckless waste of money, for Mir. Mellen's testimony was abundant to show that there had been woeful extravagance and reckless waste
 Just at this time there have come evil dences of other undue promotions ex- taravagant high financing, possibly with out the picturesque features which were revealed by Mir. Mellen and certainly lacking the stupendous figure of the late J. P. Morgan. In London, at this time the leading financiers are much concerned over a situation which has been created oy overpexpansion of enterprises in Can ida. The railroad situation in some of ts features in Canada is not dissimilar to certain of the disclosures made by Mr. Mellen. The greater financers of London Ire now much occupied wkith the work ng out of plans whereby health can be