The Arvada enterprise., 1916-12-07
Proposed by President 10 Bet
ter Condition Of Carriers.
MAY CHANGE PRESENT SYSTEM
Officials of Roads Prepared to Advocate
Federal Incorporation, Supervision OF
Securities ard Extension Of Authority
OF Interstate Commerce Commission.

'I''S, DtShn mere today an inquiry mo
the subjcc'. OF public control and su.
pcrylsion of railroads that may lead to.
the revolt rIoniZing Of the whole scheme
Of COVER ,mcntabrcgulation Of the cOuu-
try's Transportation lines. incidentally
the committee Is to look into the qucs.
ton or government ownership Of rail
ways, telephone and telegraph lines
and cypress companies.
The members of the committee
which VIII conduct this important in
vcstiaatioH are Senator Ncwlands OF
Nevada chairman; Senators Robinson
OF Arkansas. Underwood Of Alabama.
Cummlns of Iowa and Brandcgcc OF
Crnncctlcu t., and Representatives Adj
amson OF Georgia, Sims Of Tennessee,
Cullop of Indiana, Esch Of Wisconsin
and IIamil ton OF Michigan. The in
Quiry was recommended by President
Wilson in his message to Congress in
December Of last year He described
ms its purp Csc to determine what could
be done "ior lettering the conditions
under which the railroads are operated
and for making them more useful scrv-
ants Of the country as a whole"
Promi nent Men a 5 Witnesses.
In order 10 obtain the views OF all
interests a 'fectcd by the operations of
the transp' ortation lines the committee
has invited prominent shippers. bank
crs, repre- icu;ativcs Of commercial or
CARNATIONS, railway executives. ccouO-
Il. nd az I,r to Inf
The first to be heard are railroad
CommissiD ncrs 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
dctraCt 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 over wages
and conditions of labor.
Chief interest In the hearings cen.
ters 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 over rates and securities to the
practical exclusion of state control of
these matters II is understood also that
they will 20 on record In favor of fsi.
cral incorporation Of all railroad lines.
legislative Program OF Railroads.
From an authoritative source IS oh.
tanned the following outline 81 the leg.
iSlatiyc program which the railroads
will ask the committee to consider In
Its investigation: They Will cudcavor
to demonstrate to the commission that
one Of the principal defects in the pres
cut system 81 railroad regulation is
the lack OF coordination resulting from
the simultaneous and conflicting rCgll-
latiou by the federal government and
by the Is states. They will, therefore,
ask that entire governmental control
or the rates and practices Of Interstate
carriers. except purely local matters,
be placed in tho hands Of federal
body so that Interstate traffic may he
regulated without rcfcrcuCc 10 state
lines. leaving to the state commissions
jurisdiction only over local matters and
local public utilities. As part Of this
plan, compulsory system Of federal
Incorporation IS to be recommended.
accompanied by federal supervision ~
railroad stock and bond ISSUES.
\ reorganization OF the Interstate
. Commerce Commission will be asked.
In order to enable the commission vrup.
crly to exercise Its increased powers.