Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-07
fINMERCE COMMISSION
ASKS RADICAL CHANGES
p,nort Declares Altered Per-
spective Of Country Makes
Them Desirable
LARGE BOARD FAVORED
r,.rsased Power Also Necessary as a
Result Of New Con-
ditions

,..rtstNGToN, Dec T.--Radical deNar.
l,. rom long established methods of rail
- ,es,,iaiion In the United states arc
-,-,p,snded 10 Congress IN the annual re-
.,t ~ the Interstate Commerce commits
- made public today. The last year
n. report says. has changed the perspective
I'm. country as 10 many situations. The
ssacean war has been an important tac-
~ y, ~. aTaIrs OF American railroads
~ 81 that struggle and elements In the
sNs.t. 49, .I,ustIon- arising out Of Il IL is at
..uh,isd the need Tor several changes
raging up the car shortage situation in
. 1fnited States. the commission declares
ns, me business Of the country has In
snss,sd so rapidly that new legislation
ssenid be enacted giving the commission
s.-,,istory powcrs over the movement OF
si.s, rsra i'm order that the demand for
ssvs In keep commodities moving To points
.ss,s they are most needed, thereby fore.
sailing famines, may be met Ihe repor,
80 sayg that there Is a need for increased
.asS,,rsI facilities Mt most big cities and
ports
LARGE BOARD DESIRED
me railroad business OF the country
Increass ssd to such an extent. the report
-. that the present membership ot inc
,.,s..tate Commerce Commission cannot
s.,,t,s ali the work II is given to perform
~ ,a.rease In the commission from seven
- .t,s members Is urged upon Congress.
-s,,.,. Panama Canal Act provides that
kc,t lines may not be owned ana operated
~ railroads which serve the same territory
f;nder this act the commission divorced the
r.s.t lake boat lines from their rallfoad
e....,u and dtvested tho Pennsylvania and
s,hsr railroads Of their boat lines on Chesn-
..L. paw The important case OF the
E,w York. New Haven and Hartford boat
lines operating In New England waters
row is pendlng before the commission Ihe
r,ror, jssued today says that there Is much
se,ss, On the mart OF the general public
sr,lnst such n policy because II tends to
tr,oaIr transportation facilities which nre
n',,cb needed The commission says II is
virtually helpless In tho face OF the letter
of the law and lays the matter before Con-
rress. believing that that body may desire
"a amend the law to meet the public de-
mAnd
INCREASED POWERS NEEDED
The commission asks Congress for more
pover to prevent the intimidation OF wit
sesses appearing before II. This recon-
r,endatlon is understood to have grown out
az the proceedings OF the commission In It's
Investigation OF headlights. II was alleged
that certain labor unions which desired
railroad trains equipped with electric head
lights threatened to discharge from their
unions any railroad engineers who testified
the electric headlights desirable.
In connection with the long g-drawn out
controversy over transcontinental railroad
rates the commission reports that 1t now
a seeking to establish more permanent
basis for these rates than has obtained
heretofore.
An echo OF the tremendous munition eN-
plosion at Black Tom Island In New York
harbor. last summer is contained In the
report the commission recommending that
pore stringent regulation OF shipments or
Explosives be had II suggests that State
and municipal authorities should exercise
Rigorous police power over railroads hand
Ing explosives
RAILROAD REGULATION
In connection with the pending contro-
versy over the relative merits of State and
FEDERAL regulation OF railways, the commits
sion says that It should be empowered to
In adjusting rate disputes. However, the
commission recommends that It be given cx'
elusive jurisdiction over railway capitali'
Eaton,
The commission estimates that the work
OF physical valuation of railroads so far
as track surveys are concerned will be com
pleted by January /. 1890. There will be
some supplementary work there after, how
ever, it is stated. Abuot 10000 miles a
year of railroads are being valued.
The commissions report includes state
ment showing net income of American rail-
ways from 1891 to 1916. In 1891 net in
come OF the roads amounted TO 1881 ,407
and in 1916 $l.O21.O3O,544. Nineteen-six-
teen was the first year the income went
ever the billion dollar mark.