The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-08
INTERSTATE COMMERCE BOARD
WOULD PLACE BURDEN OF PROOF
ON RAIL ROADS IN RATE FIGHTS
In Annual Report Congress That Shippers Be
Relieved of Necessity of sh owing Levies Unreasonable

ed railroad facilities are necessary to
adequately handle the commerce Of
the country and that in some way
those facilities must be provided. OBJ
viously this cannot be done by leav
ing these matters for determination
by unanimous vote Of all the car
riers of the country. Within certain
limits the force of competition be-
tween carriers cannot be denied. The
carrier that desires to participate in
the movement of traffic must carry it
as cheaply as its competitor. 1t must
accord as liberal rules and regula-
lions as are accorded by it's competi-
tor, and these competitive influences
make unanimity of opinion as to
what are proper rules and regula-
tions more difficult of attainment
than it would otherwise be. From
these facts and experiences, and a
study of these considerations over a
substantial period, we are led to the
conclusion that a reasonable degree
of the desired and necessary improve
ment can be reached within any rea-
sonable time only by vesting power
to regulate these questions for all
railroads in the appropriate federal
body and also providing means by
which rules and regulations promu1-
gated can be enforced"
The Commission further recon-
mends that unless the suggestion for
fixing existing rates by statute is fol-
lowed the law be charged to curtail
the present period of suspension and
resuspension of a filed rate from IA
months to year and that railroads
be required to give 60 instead of the
| - 4
rate. changes.
It also asks for legislation to per-
nit punishment of any attempt to in
timidate witnesses before it or dis
orderly conduct or contumacy by a
witness.
Another important suggestion is
made in relation to conflicts between
the Commission and the Railway
Commission of Texas over the fam
Gus Shreveport case involving ques-
tons of Interstate and interstate
rates. The report suggests ''that
without abdication of any federal au-
thority to finally control questions af-
fecting. interstate and foreign com
merce, the Commission be authoriz-
ed to cooperate with state commits
sions in efforts to reconcile upon a
single record the conflicts between
state and interstate rates.
In discussing the Shreveport case
the Commission says: Eve call to
mind once more the fact previously
noted; that this Commission has not
reached out in any spirit of aggres-
sion to lay it's hands on situations in
Volving the principle of the Shreve-
port case. While we have decided
over SO Of such cases, and more are
being presented to US from time tc
time, we have dealt with them in the
! regular line OF official duty We
handle and dispose of these cases in
the same manner as all other cases
In accordance with law and in ODE.
d1ence to our official OATH
{ Generally speaking, such situa-
tons represent rate questions and
economic problems rather than lega.
/ controversies and constitutional is
sues We believe that every such
! case can as practical matter be dis.
posed of without challenge of these
principles of government"
1t concludes with the statement
that it makes this recommendation
with the idea that economic changes
in this country are rapid; that the
act to regulate commerce must con.
tinue to be subject to amendmen,