The Washington herald., 1915-03-22
new |. c. c. CHAIRMAN
WELL Trained FOR JOB
Charles c. McChord Was Twelve Years
Active Member of Kentucky State
Railroad Commission.

charles 6. McChord. who has Just been
elected chairman of the Interstate Com
merce Commission. brings to his new
Office the knowledge of affairs gained
from wide held of personal and official
experience. Previous to becoming a
member Of that body four years ago he
had twelve years active experience as
railroad commissioner of Kentucky.
Soon after admission to the bar of Ken
lucky he was elected prosecuting at
torney of Washington County. and was
twice reelected. During his entlre
twelve years service on the Kentucky
railroad commission he WAS Its chair
man
The Associated Railroad Commission
crs OF the United States twice elected
him president of that body.
lie carried through to enactment his
hill conferrius upon the Kentucky COM
mission authority and poWer TO regulate
the railroads Of that state.
This Was at time when the UMPIRE
Cedrntrd excitement and passion existed
in Kentucky which resulted in the as
"a ssiratinn "f Gov. G0ebei and forced
the legislature I" remove its sittinSs
from Frankfort 10 Louisville.
Since he has been a member of the
Interstate Commerce Commission he has
rrurcanizoh and systematiZed the safety
work If the commission into what is now
made tho subject Of thorough investiga-
and NJ. McChord personally holds the
hearings IN the most important cases
Examination Is made under his direction
81 now Inventions covering the field OF
block signals. automatic train control and
safety devices OF like character. In fact
every factor which enters into The prob
lem If making railroad travel more safe
IL given consideration and study by the
Division of Safety
He personally examines each instance
Of violation Of thc hours OF service act
and the safety appliance act which are
reported each year by the inspectors OF
the commission. and authorizes and
surervisCs their prosecution. lie prepared
an ANALYSIS Of the causes OF delay to
trains on all railroads of the United
states 50 that any railroad manager could
determine the subjects requiring atten-
lion in order TO bring ahont efficiency
in operation. As A result. IN one year
the reduction of train delays and excess
s"rvice was nearly 30 per cent.
70 HIM largely is due the fact that
the attitude Of leading railroad man
ayers toward this branch Of the work
nf the commission has changed in a
marked degree. where formerly there
WAS hostility there is now spirit of CO.
operation.
Mr. McChord wss selected ny the
commission To preside during the in
:, stIsatI"n into the financial wreckinS
at the New York. New Haven and Hart
ford Railroad Company In the report
made Ia the Senate on the subject. Com
uiissioneT Nct'hOrd called attention TO
the obligation resting upon the directors
If railroads to keep themselves informed
Of the systems with which they are con-
uocted and insisted that the primary
iItv to regulate "A railroad rrsts upon the
directors
Mr.. McChords part a.! the work OF
the commission in the regulation OF rates
has been generally recognized as strong,
fair. and impartial. lie is the author of
some of tn" most important opinions In
the rate cases decided by the commission
during the past four wears.