The Washington times., 1916-03-23

The west has not viewed with any
too much satisfaction the spectacle OIL
the East making huge profits out Oh
manufacturing war supplies. IL war SUP
niles. insistent on getting first 10
msrket. should absorb all the carrying
"a pacitv of the railroads, and shut out
the western business, 1t " consioeieu
very certain that TREMENDOUS to"
would be projected.
IL 10 desired to avoid any such danger
Some time ago the Interstate Commerce
Commission called IN q number OF rail-
road men TO Washington to discuss TINS
freight congestion. The railroad peo-
ple were particularly anxious to make
n very apparent that they were not
To blame. There was q good deal Oh
conversation about the lack OF shipping
to take cargoes away from eastern
ports. -. a..
warehouses up and down the Atlantlc
coast are all filled and that cars can
NOT be unloaded because there Is no
place to put theiN contents
Fear of New Duties.
After hearing a good deal OF this
kind Of testimony. the commission IN
dicated that II was more concerned
about remedies than causes. IL consid'
ers the proposition mainly one OF physi.
cal operation, in which II Ia feared
the failure of the railroads to cooperate
among themselves and with their snip
pers has accumulated unfortunate CON
ditions.
situation may resultin the imposition o.
new duties upon the Interstate Com
mission, requiring II to supervise ply
sicel operation OF the railroads, at
time when It has neither the experience
nor the machinery with which To 1c
One hears among members OF Con.
gTess a good deal OF intimatior thai
more rigoroua Government contro
ought to be exercised unless conditions
very soon improve.
Would Enlarge Commission.
II can be said with the best OF au
thority, that the Interstate Commerce
| Commission does not want TO be clothed
with power over the physical opera
ticn of railroads unless the Commits
| sion's membership IL increased ont
provision IA made in the law for Vcr>
distinct distribution OF functions among
/ groups OF the commissioners.
| Thus. speaking for the commission
| Mr.. Commissioner Clements. who II
length of service is the veteran OF tina
body, strongly urged that two NOR
commissioners be authorized; brlnTini
| Commission be permitted to Distribute
its functions in such manner that
| group OF two or three members nigh
exercise practically final authority Il
many matters which now require III
agreement OF tho entire body.
Sentiment Strongly Favors II.
Mr.. Clements made this recommends
tion to the Congressional committee
and supplemented II with the sugges
ton that the commission should hav
authority over issues of railroad sc
curities.
j From the present outlook It Is doubt
ful whether the latter proposal viii D
adopted by Congress at this session
While sentiment As strongly In favor O
II, the formulation of such measur
would be so difficult and delicate piec
of business as to require more time tina
Congress Is likely to have at the presen
session.
Hut the proposal to increase the com
missions membership seems likely I
meet with favor because OF Tn
crowded condition OF the commission
docket. Congress has been, ever sine
1906. heaping new duties upon the com
mission without making adequate pre-
vision for handling them.
The present inability OF the railroad
to handle all the business offered ther
10 widely regarded as y powerful argt
ment in favor of Government control {
securities.
Situation Is Changed.
For some years prior to the wal
railroad business had been In a stat
OF depression and physical conditions
including equipment, had fallen int
something like Decentralization. 1t ha
been difficult to get money because
the bad showing in earnings and tn
uncertainty about possible deVeiop
ments in legislation and publ
Then came the sudden and utterl
unexpected increase of demand 10
transportation, incident to the move
} ment OF war supplies, 1t could hard
J ly have come at more inopportun
A year ago the warning countrie
were more concerned to get rood sur
piles than anything else. At tina
time this country had vast surplu
OF these necessaries on hand, but wa
, not yet ready to begin heavy shipmer
, OF arms and ammunition. But toda
the situation is entirely changed. tn
munition factories are turning OF
tranloads and shiploads and fle'
. loads of their wares. and the wester
, powers are demanding these IN pre-
, erence to any other kind OF freight.
An Industrial Revolution.
As the fighting materials are chien
made in the East. there Is great and ir
r creasinG difficulty In getting frelgi
. from the West pushed through til
7 Eastern zone Of congestion. A veritabI
: Industrial revolution has taken place
: southern and middle New EnRlan
which before the war was In a cond
tion of profound depression largely du
10 the misfortunes OF the New Have
system,
" The other day railroad man d.
Z ! scribed New England as a big bottl
: the neck OF which was represented
/; the New Haven lines across Connect