The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1916-11-27
C"ONGDESS!Ogh VAL
Committee GECINS
RAILWAY INQUIRY
Proposed by President TO Bet
ter Condition Of Carriers.
MAY CHANGE PRESENT SYSTEM
Officials Of Roads Prepared to Advocate
Federal incorporation, Supervision Of
Securities and Extension OF Authority

Washington. Nov. 20.-Ten member,
of Congress. five Senators and five
members of the House of Representa-
tives, began here today an inquiry into
the subject Of public control and su
p%ervisiOn of railroads that may lead tt
the revolutionizing of the whole scheme
of governmental regulation Of tie coun
| try's transportation lines. incidentally
the committee is to look into the ques
ton of government ownership OF rail
ways, telephone and telegraph lines
and express companies.
The members of the committee
which will conduct this important in.
vestigation are Senator Newlands OF
Nevada, chairman; Senators Robinson
Of Arkansas. Underwood Of Alabama,
Cummins Of Iowa and Brandegee OF
Connecticut. and Representatives Ad'
amson of Georgia, Sims of Tennessee
Cullop of Indiana, Esch Of Wisconsin
and 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 could
be done "for lettering the conditions
under which the railroads are operated
and for making them more useful serv.
ants of the country as a whole
Prominent Men as Witnesses.
In order to obtain the views Of all
interests affected by the operations Of
the transportation lines the committee
has invited prominent shippers, bank
ers, representatives Of commercial or
ganizations. railway executives, ecOn0
mlsts and others to appear before them
The first to be heard are railroad
commissioners of various states who
began their evidence today. Their
testimony is directed chiefly to oppos'
ing any enlargement Of the federal
authority over commerce that would
detract from the powers now exercised
by state bodies. They will be followed
shortly by officials of railway labor
organizations who are expected to reg.
lister their opposition to the increase
Of governmental authority owe wages
and conditions of labor.
Chief interest in the hearings cen.
tiers in the proposals that will be put
forward by representatives of the rail.
roads, for it. is reported that they will
advocate an extension of federal au.
thority we rates and securities to the
practical exclusion of state control of
these matters. 1t is understood also that
they will go on record in favor Of fed
eral incorporation Of all railroad lines.
Legislative Program Of Railroads.
From an authoritative source Is OBJ
tanned the following outline Of the leg
i~slative program which the railroads
will ask the committee to consider in
its investigation: They will endeavor
to demonstrate to the commission that
one of the principal defects in the pres.
ent system of railroad regulation Is
the lack of coordination resulting from
the simultaneous and conflicting regu-
lation by the federal government and
by the 4S states. They will, therefore,
ask that entire governmental control
of the rates and practices Of interstate
carriers, except purely local matters,
be placed In the hands Of a federal
body so that interstate traffic may be
regulated without reference to state
lines. leaving to the state commissions
Jurisdiction only owe local matters and
local public utilities. AS a part of this
plan, a compulsory system Of federal
incorporation is to be recommended,
accompanied by federal supervision of
railroad stock and bond issues.
A reorganization Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission will be asked,
In order to enable the commission prop.
erly to exercise its increased powers.
1t is also proposed that the preparation
and prosecution of cases against the
railroads shall he delegated to some
other agency Of the government, posi-
bly, the Department of Justice, so that
the commission may devote its ener-
gies 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 Pc
.:>1 ,l,u;,,,r x,.bt,h tl,n ar,ntpicgint ~
now suspend proposed increases in
rates be reduced from ten months to
60 days, with provision for reparation |
to be paid to the shippers If the ad.
vance shall be declared unreasonable.
They will also ask that the commits.
sion he given the power to prescribe
minimum as we'll as maximum rates
80 that in meeting complaints Of dis
the commission may or
der the advance of a rate which It
considers too low.
One of the most important recon-
mendations for which the railroads
will ask favorable consideration IL
that the commission be specifically |
authorized to take into account In
regulation the effect Of rates
upon total earnings In the light Of OK.
penses.
While the Newlnnds Committee Is
required, under the resolution Great.
Ing II. to submit a report by January
2 next, 1t is not anticipated that the
Committee will have come anywhere
Uenr romulatiur its labors then.