Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-11-21

Stone. chief of the Brotnefnoou VI
locomotive Engineers. Representative
Adamson was to discuss prospective
railway legislation with President VIII
son today.
NewIands Explains.
In opening the first session OF the
1oint congressional committee today
Senator Francis G. Newlands OF Neva-
da. the chairman, explained that tne
inouiry would cover wide field. ne
said:
ut will relate to every phase or the
TRANSFORMATION question. the rail car
riers. the river carriers and the ocean
carriers, and the perfection OF har-
monious system of transportation. en-
bracing rail, river and ocean carriers
that will meet the demands 'of inter
state as we'll as foreign commerce ana
It will also be applied to telegraph and
telephone lines, express companies
and other public utilities.
.It will embrace not only the SUB
1ect of government control and regula-
tions Of these utilities, but also the
wisdom and the feasibility of govern
ment ownership and the comparative
worth and efficiency Of government
regulation and control as compared
with government ownership and oper.
alton.
Need Sympathetic Aid.
att will not be possible for us to
come to a speedy conclusion regarding
all questions but that conclusion will
be more quickly arrived at if we have
the sympathetic aid Of practical men
who for years have been conversant
with the practical side of the transpor.
tation question, of the economists and
nublici3ts, of railway executives and
workers of commercial bodies, farmers
and manufacturers, and shippers gen.
orally
Senator Newlands said:
at is a question that must be faced.
Other nations far advanced In civiliza.
ton have adopted the system Recent
". under the stress OF war, almost all
European governments have taken
over the railways. Whether that will
be a permanent taking over or only a
Temporary one, 1t demonstrates that IN
conditions of great crises when the
autocratic powers must be given to
government, all intelligent govern.
ments drift toward absolute and com.
plete operation of the roads as the
only solution of the question.
Must Watch Europe.
"If we pursue the exercise and the
study of government regulation wisely.
persistently and energetically, we may
create such system Of regulation as
will meet every requirement, both In
time of peace and war and in exigeucy
or crisis. But it seems to be wise
thing for the government of the United
States to ascertain now the history of
the countries that have adopted gov.
ernment ownership and operation Of
railways, and to watch the experiences
of the European countries in this great
war in this regard.
''In this connection will come the
question of the method of taking over
the railroads. Shall it be accomplished
by an actual valuation of the railways
and a condemnation of them, or shall
they be taken over by the easier meth.
cd of taking over the stocks and the
bonds at their market value, thus at
one step having the national govern
ment take the position of stock holder
anu ScCullly AoAACl VI thSSS 6iSae wi
porations?"
Strikes as a means of settling labo.
disputes, Senator Newlands character
ized as 'the most barbaric and brutal
of processes"
''Hours and wages of employees must
be considered carefully, Senator New.
lands said. because the burdens which
constitute the operating expenses Of
these corporations are in time trans
ferred to the shippers"
Senator Newlands outlined the pro-
posals to recognize the interstate com.
merce commission, and to create fed
eral agencies which might supplant
state authorities in exercising control
over railroad financing.
, There will also come up he said, the
question as to whether the nation or
the states should create the great traf-
fic organizations that serve the pur-
pose of interstate commerce.
Commenting on suggestions that
tailroad taxation be put in the hands
or federal authorities exclusively, Sen.
ator Newlands said
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