Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1916-12-28
COMMITTEE BEGINS
RAILWAY INQUIRY
PROPOSED BY President 10 Bot
ter Condition Of Carriers.
MAY CHANGE PRESENT SYSTEM

~aoNFtttso aUa 8SaeUatoU W FNes'se'sel
Of Interstate Commerce Commission.
Washington, Nov. 20.-Ten members
Of Congress, ave Senators and nve
members OF the House OF Representa-
tives, began here today an inquiry into
the subject Of public control and su'
pervision Of railroads that may lead to
the revolutionlzing OF the whole scheme
OF governmental regulation Of the coun.
try's transportation lines. Incidentally
the committee Is to look into the Ques'
ton Of government ownership OF rail-
ways. telephone and telegraph lines
and express companies.
The members Of the committee
which will conduct this important IN
vestigation are Senator Newlands OF
Nevada, chairman: Senators Robinson
Of Arkansas, Underwood Of Alabama,
Cummins Of Iowa and Brandegee Of
Connecticut, and Representatives Ad'
amson OF Georgia. Sims OF Tennessee
Cullop Of Indiana. Esch Of Wisconsin
anu. Hamilton Of Michigan. The in.
Quiry was recommended by President
Wilson In his message 10 Congress In
December Of last year. He described
az its purpose to determine what could
be done ''for lettering the conditions
under which the railroads are operated
and for making them more useful serv.
ants OF the country as a whole"
Prominent Men a. Witnesses.
In order 10 obtain the views Of al
interests affected by the operations Of
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 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
detract 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
tiers in the proposals that will be put
forward by representatives Of the rail-
roads, for 1t is reported that they VIII
advocate an extension Of federal AZ.
thOrity over rates and securities to the
practical exclusion Of state control OF
these matters. 1t is understood also that
they win 60 on record in favor Of fed.
eral incorporation of all railroad lines.
Legislative Program Of Railroads.
From an authoritative source is OBJ
tanned the following outline Of the leg.
islative program which the railroads
will ask the committee to consider In
It's investigation: They will endeavOr
to demonstrate to the commission that
one Of the principal defects in the pres
ent system Of railroad regulation 10
the lack of coordination resulting from
the simultaneous and conflicting regu-
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
body so that interstate trafiic may be
regulated without reference to state
lines, leaving TO the state commissions
jurisdiction only over local matters and |
local public utilities. As part Of this
plan, q compulsory system Of federal
incorporation Is to be recommended.
accompanied BY federal supervision Of |
railroad stock and bond issues.
A reorganization Of the Interstate |
Commerce Commission will be asked. |
In order 70 enable the commission prop.
erly to exercise its increased powers.
II is also proposed that the preparation
and prosecution Of cases against the |
railroads shall be delegated to some
ether agency Of the government, posi-.
bly, the Department Of Justice, 80 that
the commission may devote its ener
giles to its administrative functions.
, With the commission thus relieved |
Of some Of tn present duties and equip |
ped to handle its business more prompt |
", the railroads win urge that the Dc
Rod during which the commission may
now suspend proposed increases IN
Iates be reduced from ten months to
90 days, with provision for reparation
to be paid to the shippers II the ad-
vance shall be declared unreasonable.
They viii also ask that the commits
sisn be given the power to prescribe
minimum a. wen as maximum rates
70 that In meeting complaints Of dis
the commission may order
the advance Of rata which It cOnsid-
Irs too low.
One OF the most important recon.
for which the railroads
win ask favorable consideration q
that the commission b specifically
authorised 10 take into account IN
nate regulation the eject Of rates
upon total earnings in the light Of sx-
Denses.
While the Newlands Committee Il
required, under the resolution Great.
nc Il 10 submit q report By January
nsxk Il b not anticipated that TIE
win have cone anywhere