The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1916-12-01
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEE BEGINS
RAILWAY INQUIRY
Proposed by President to Bet
ter Condition of Carriers.
MAY CHANGE PRESENT SYSTEM

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'''es anu @N'e'S'o" " N''''o'''
o' INTERSTATE commerce Conm'ss'on'
Washinrtou Nov nu-T,n mcmhcrs
OF Congress five Senators and five
members of thr IIousr of Ernrrsrut,,
tivcs, began here today an inquiry into
the subject of public control and SUI
pcrviSion of railroads that may lead To
tn" r"v"luti"miZiu= of tn" wln." scheme
OF governmental regulation of tn" coun.
try s transportation lines. Incidentally
the committee is to look into tn" QuCS
ti"n of government ownership Of rail
ways. telephone and lric-rauh lines
and express companies.
The members OF the committee
which will conduct this important in
vCStigaton are Senator NcwlandS Of
Nevada. chairman; Senators Robinson
Of Arkansas. Underwood of Alabama.
Cummins of Iowa and Hrandcgcc of
Connecticut. and Representatives .\d-
amson OF Georgia. Sims of Tennessee,
Cullop Of Indiana, ESch of Wisconsin
and Hamilton OF Michigan. The in
quiry was recommended by President
Wilson in his message to Congress in
December OF last year. He described
as its purpose to determine what could
be done "for bcttcring the conditions
under which the railroads are operated
and for making them more useful serv-
ants OF the country as a whole"
Prop,i,.nt Man .. u;t,...o.
In ordor to obtain .bo ,-,o,, 90 ,u
;ntorost, orootod Nv, tho ooro.,o 80
the transportation lines the committee
has invited prominent shippers, bank
ers, representatives of commercial or
ganizations, railway executives econo-
mists and others to appear before them
The first to be heard are railroad
commissioners of yarious states who
began their evidence today Their
Testimony IS directed chiefly to opnos.
Ing any enlargement OF the federal
authority over commerce that would
detract from the mowers now exercised
by state bodies. Thev will he followed
shortly by officials OF railway labor
ORGANIZATIONS who are exnected to rep-
lister their opposition to the Increase
VI q a
and conditions or labor
Chief interest In tho hear,rgs cen.
ters in tba pronosols that wi, ho mt
forward by representatives NJ tha rail.
roads for # fs renorted that tbev viii
advocate an extension OF federal al.
thority over rates and securities to tbo
practical exclusion OF state contro, of
these matters. 1t is understood also that
they will go on record I'm favor of fed
eral Incorporation of all railroad lines
LeoisIativ. pro,ran, of p.;Iro.ds
From On outbo,i+o+iro s,,,roo t. -,
tained the following outline of tho loo.
islative nrorram wbich tho roiIroods
will ask the committee to consider IN
its Investigation: They Will cndeavor
to demonstrate TO the commission that
one OF the PRINCIPAL defects IN the prcs.
ent system Of railroad regulation is
the lack OF coordination resulting from
the simultaneous and conflicting repu.
lation by the federal government and
by the 4S 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
pody so that Interstate traffic may be
regulated without reference to state
hhes, leaVing to the state commissions
JurlSdlctlon only over local matters and
local pubic utilities. AS part OF this
plan, compulsory system Of federal
incorporation Is to be recommended
accompanied by federal supervision of
railroad stock and bond issues.
reorganization Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission will be asked
In order to enable the commission prop.
erly TO exercise its increased powers
1t Is also proposed that the preparation