The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1916-12-28

I0l lliD MN MT Il E!nagsacllslIs|.
II Aitloal, .'s'alys 1 r Thon.
STATES Rle;aIsE PRESERVED.

H..3 FL sTEN5sE -ENA|tHrtf
" Washington, Dec. THAT the inter.
ests of national defense require that
control Of railway lines should rest
With the federal government and not
with the states was the claim ad-
vanced BY Alfred F. Thorn, counsel
TO the Railway Executives Advisory
Comnnittee, IN concluding his prelim-
mary statement of the case for the
railways before the Newlands Joint
Committee5On Interstate Commerce.
'"'yWe must sbe efficient as a nation IL
We are 10 deal. successfully with our
national emer'gencies,""t said Mr.. Thorn.
s''and We must appreciate that efficient
transportation il an essential condition
Of national efacienscy. II we are to
halt and weaken Ionr transportation
systems by state ltnes, by the perma-
nen1t imposition Of burdens BY unwise
regulation. we will make national eff
cheney impossible"
States Rights Would Not Suffer.
Bsgs MI y citefisa lnhny - ~
which SHIPPERS In n state were In
jurtously affected by selfish regula-
tons imposed on the railroads by
.neighborfng states. He pointed out
that federal regulation would be no in
yasion of the rights OF the states but
would be the means OF preserving the.
rights which they acquired when they
entered The Union, n OF which was
the&right to free movement OF tnear
products across state boundaries.
What the Railroads Advocate.
The principles which the railroads
believe should be Incorporated ii any
Just system Of regulation were sum:
married Nv Mr.. Thorn as follows:
i. The entire power and duty Of reg
|ulation should be in the hands Of the
national government, except as to mat.
terss 50 essentially local and incidental
that they cannot be used to interfere
with the efficiency of the service or the
Just fights OF the carriers.
2.SAs one Q the means OF accom-
Iplshing this. a system OF compulsory
federal 5incorporatfen should De adopt
tseQ.:. INTO O. when sl0uid pe All
railroad e~erporaatllonus. engaged IN inter.
state y foreign commerce.
!. The u Interstate Commerce Commits
sion " existing laws mas too mucn
to do and is charged with conflicting
functions. Including the investigation,
prosecution and decision OF cases. The
latter duties should be placed In the
hands of a new body which might be
called the Federal. Railroad Commits.
sion. Regional Commissions should
bs&established> In different parts OF
the conntrv to assist the Interstate
CommerceiC Commission by handling 10:
cal cases q 81
4 Tha Snower of the Commission
sho,,,a no 10 enable II 70 nre-
sa.,ha n,;n,,nmm ro,as and not n,ors,v
,ta. 20 ~ n,,o.an+ Tbi.
- 800. 4h,,,. = ~, - n,,a,on+
49,. ..a.sm;a.
= -.
Just'ce sruo''c ana oaos
5. It shonldybe DUTY OF the
Interstate m commission, m
the exercise OF lts8 powers to1n4 rea-
sonab%e rates, to SO adjust these rates
that they shall DEUS at once to the
public and to the carriers. 70 TINS end
the Commission IT. determining rates.
should consider tue necessity q main
tanning efficient TRANSFORMATION ana ex.
tensions OF faclllties' . relation, OF
expenses to rates ana the rights OF
shippers, stockholders ana creators OF
the roads.%
9. The Interstate commerce Commits lnf
sion should be invested with the pow
er to f1x sthe: ratessfor carrylng mails.
The federaf snould
have exclusive poWe % supervise the
issue OF STOCKS anu Dohds Dy raiiroad
carriers. engage ~ interstate ana Tor
eigr mere 5A,. @a .z535S
.. me law shoAia RECOGNIZE the es,
6sentiai dlHerehce pet"een things Wnl H,l
srestraM .lraae IN me ease oi ordlnar
concerns ana
restrain 1iaue .nstns ;eass olseolnmon