Cheyenne record., 1916-12-07

COMMITTEE BEGINS
RAILWAY INQUIRY
Proposed by President to Bet
ter Condition Of Carriers,
MAY CHANGE PRESENT SYSTEM

Officials Of Roads Prepared to Advocate
FescraI Incorporation, Supervision Of
Securities and Extension Si Authority
of interstate Commcrce Commission.
| Washington. Nov. 2O-Ten members
| Of Congress. five Senators and five
members of the House of Representa-
tivcs, began here today an inquiry into
the subject of public control and su-
pervision Of railroads that may lead to
the revolutionizing OF the whole scheme
] of governmental regulation Of the cOun-
try's transportation lines. Incidentally
the committee is to look into the ques-
tion OF government ownership Of rail-
ways. telephone and telegraph lines
and express companies.
| The members of the committee
which will condnct this i,nnortnnt In
vesticati0n ere Senator Ncwiands OF
| Nevada, chairman: Senators Robinson
Of arkansas. Underwood OF Alabama.
| Cummins Of Iowa and Brandcgee Of
| Connecticut, and Representatives Ad-
amson OF Georgia. Sims Of Tennessee.
Cull0p Of Indiana. Esch OF Wisconsin
| an! Hamilton Of Michigan. The in
quiry was recommended by President
Wilson in his message to Congress in
December Of last year. He described
as its purpose to determine what cea,ld
be done for lettering the conditions
under which the railroads are operated
and for making them more useful se1v-
ants 0f the country ns \ whole"
Pron.inent Men a. Witnesses
In or.les to obtain tlIe views OF an
interests affected by the operations Il
the transportation lines thu committee
has invited prominent shippers. bunk.
ers. representatives OF commercial. ~.
ganizationss railway executives. eronr.-
mists and others to appea = hefore tiienI
The first to be heard are railroWP
commissioners Of various states wits'
began their evidence .nlay. Their'
testimony ib directed chiefly tn oppos.
ing any enlargement Of tile federal
authority over commerce tliat woWiil'
detract from the powers nnM exercised
by state boda's. They Will he fblihwe,r
shortly hy sfiiciala Of railway IAl,ar
organizations who are expected tn rugs
lister their exposition to rim. incre,.ss.
Of governmental authority over waSBs,
and condition. Of labor.
Chief inteHSst1 lin the heazdngs, cen.
ters IN the proposals that will he. put.
forward by representatives VI the niII
roads. for it II. reported thar they WIKI
advNate an; sStension Of fsaerau aas-
thOrity over ratra. and kecuritinS to. the.
practical eHnls1xihn Of state. control q,
these natterss 1T ID understood aaso' tist
they will Ko'Ga record I'll favsr Of feG
eral incorperuainn Of all railrOmiNllmaA
lssisIatiis Program Of Hki7rvrdk-
From an: aauheritative souue In Oh
tanned the Following outline aG tfip he<.
islative prnGn1R which the. railroads
viii ask tile. esvn mittcc to. consider N
Its investikahfsn: They wiIa e1,desvDr
to demonstrates to the commission Tint
one of tito peincipsl defects ia he pres.
ent system - railroad ressrlhtfoa 10
the lack ae esS<tlination resal3irx fhOm
the simuitanessas and confiSrtine regu-
lation by tile federal EOwsrnsnrat and
by the 4Ss sSstes. They will therefore.
ask that eosfFe governmental control
Of the rats~ and practices ss Interstate
carricra- except purely lbsnl matters.
be placed IN the hands sf . federal
body so' that interstate tHs1fe may be
regulat~S without rcferea$e to state
lines. leaving to the xtans- commissions
jurisdicriOo only over lofal matters and
local pabFfc utilities. - . part of this
plan. compulsory syssem Of federal
Incorporation In to be- recommended.
accompanied by federal supervision Of
railroad stock and bOra1 issues
\ reorganization 0f the Interstate
CoDncrce CommissiAa will he asked.
in or,rer to enable the. commission prop
eray to exercise its Increased powers.
II r. also proposed that the preparation
and prosecution Of cases against the
railroads shall be delegated to some
ether agency Of the government. poss3t
bly, the Department Of Justice. 40 that
the commission may devote its cner-
Eics to its administrative functions
With the commission thus relieved
Of some OF its present duties and equip
ped to handle its business more prompt
ly. the railroads will urge that the pe-
Rod during which the commission may
now suspend proposed increases in
rates he reduced from ton months to
60 days. with provision for rcparation
to be paid {, the shippers II the ad-
vance shall be declared unreasonable.
They will also ask that the commits
zion be given the power to prescribe
minimum as well as maximum rates
so that in meeting complaints OF dis
elimination the commission may order
the advance of rate which 1t consid-
ers too low.
One of the most important recon-
mendations for which the railroads
will ask favorable consideration y
that the commission be specifically
4 authorized to take into account in