Putnam patriot., 1916-11-24
CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE BEGINS
 RAIIWAY INQUIRY
PrOggsa1 by President 10 Bal toT Condition Of Carriers.
MAY CHANGE PRESENT SYSTEM

nemte os the House of Representa- lives legar here today an inquiry into the subject of public control and su rervislon of railroads that may lead to fhe reroiufi5a.zjus of the whole scheme af governmental regulation of the eoun f,y.s tiaHs shnHfaftan tiHes Incidentally fhe committee ls fo look into the ques iion of government ownership of rail w8ss telephone and telegraph lines and express companies
 Thn members of the committee which W.lH e1HaHt this important in YeadeaiaH are Senator NewlaHds af Nerada. cha'raan. Senators Robinson of ArRau4s. Gnaerwool of Alabama. ruuma.s of Iowa and Brandegee Of connectlut and Representatives Ad- amson of Georgia sims of Tennessee ruIIop of Indiana. Es@h of Wisconsin end fiam.lfea of Michigan The in- onirr was fe commended by President WHeon in h-s message to Congress iH December If lasi Ue des libed ns it's purraze 10 Ea 1ninc whaEe eould te done flor lettering the conditions under which the railroads are operated aud for making Them more useful serF- ants of the country as whole.'
 Prominent Men as Witnesses.
 Tn order r. obtain the views of all interests aae ted by the operations oG Che tra fofatlen lines the committee has iuvi5ad pgamiaeut shippers. bank CTS. representatives of commercial or eanizat railway executives, eeena- nists aHti others to appear before them.
 The first te be heard are rnileeai commits inaefs of various states wlo began their evidence today Their testimony ls diee ted chiefly to oppes ing any enlargement of the federal authority er commerce that would detract from tbe powers now exercised nv state bodies They will bc followed shortly ty officials of railway iabof organizations Nha are expected 10 reg lster tAeir epnn=ition to the increase of governmental authority over wages and coraitess of labor
 Chief Interest in the hearings cen ters in ite proposals that will be pnt foiwad by representatives of tae fail- roads for | is reported that they will advocate aH estensinn of federal all th0AtV over fafes and securities to fhf practical exclusion of state control of fhcse matters II k understood also that they will eo on record in favor Of fed cral misrepresentation of all railroad lines
 Legislative Program, of Railroads.
 From an authoritative source Is ob- tained the following outline of the leg islative program which the railroads will ask the committee to consider in ifs investigations They will endeaNor to demonstrate to the commission that one If the principal defects In the pres ent system of railroad regulation is the lack of coordination resulting from he simultaneous and conflicting regu- lation by the federal government and hy the IS states They will, therefore. ask that entire governmental control of the rates and practices of interstate carriers. except purely local matters. be placed in the hands of a federal body so that interstate traffic may be regulated without reference to state lines. leaving ta the state commissions Jurisdiction onlY over local matters and local public utilities As a part of tn $ plan, compulsory system of federal incorporation is to be recommended. accompanied bf federal supervision Of railroad stock and bond issues.
 A reorganization of the Interstate Commerce Commission will be asked in order to enRtae the commission prop. erly to exercise it's increased powers It Is also proposed that the preparation and prosecution of cases against the railroads shall he delegated to some other agency of the government. poSsi- ply the Department of Justice. so that the commission may devote its ener ries to it's administrative functions.
 With the commission thus relieved of some of it's present duties and equip ped to handle it's business more prompt ly. the railroads will urge that the pc iiod during which the commission may now suspend proposed increases in rates be reduced from ten months to G0 days. with provision for reparation io be paid to the shippers if the ad, vance shall he declared unreasonable.
 They will also ask that the commis sion be given the power to prescribe minimum as well as max Nmum rates so that in meeting complaints of dis crimination the commission may order the advance of rate which 1t eonsid. CTS too low.
 af mi mendati,ns for which the railroads win ask favorable consideration k that the commission be specifically authorized to take inta account in rate regulation the effect af rates upon total earnings in the light of ex- penses
 While the Newlands Committee is required. under the resolution creat- ing it. to submit a report by January next. il is not anticipated that the Committee will have come anywhere near completing it's labors then.
 Miss Ellen Wheelock returned Thursday from few days visit with her aunt, Mrs. Emma Taft of Ux- bridge.
 Mrs. G. Harold Gilpatric entertain ed the bridge club ats her home on Seward street, Monday night. Re- treatments, were served by two very skillful and polite mateur, non union walters.
 In another column will be found the annual report of the county commits sioners. Again the jail has been more than sell supporting and enough pront