Judsonia weekly advance., 1917-04-04
RAILROAD SITUATION
 IS NOW LARGELY
 UP TO CONGRESS

ROBERT 5. L0vETT'S VIEWS "Unification of Regulation Is Essential"
 A Complete, Harmonious, Consistent
 and Related System Needed-Federal
 Incorporation of Railroads by Gener-
 al Law Favored.
 Washington, March 26.-Responsibil- ity for the railway development of the country, for providing necessary trans porta tion facilities to care for the grow ing business and population of the country, now rests largely with con- gress and not entirely with the rail- road managers This was the state ment of Judge Robert S. Lovett chair man of the executive committee of the Union Pacific system, to the Newlands joint congressional committee when that body resumed it's inquiry into
 
 week.
 In making this statement of the changed conditions of the railroad sit uation Judge Loyett undoubtedly had in mind the decision of the supreme court on the Adamson law, handed down last week, which establishes the right of tue federal government to fix railroad wages and to prevent strikes This decision is regarded by railroad men and lawyers as marking an epoch in the development of transportation in the United States.
 we have our share of responsibil- ity," said Judge Loyett, "but it rests primarily on congress. When tie gov ernment regulates the rates and the financial administration of the rail- roads, the borrowing of money and the issuance of securities it relieves the railroad officers of the responsibility of providing and developing transporta- ton systems, except within the limits of the revenue that can be realized from such rates and under such restrictions.
 For a country such as ours, for people situated as we are, to blunder along with a series of unrelated, incon- sistent, conflicting statutes enacted by different states without relation to each other, instead of providing con- plete and carefully studied and pre- pared system of regulation for a busi- ness that is so vital to the life of the nation, is worse than folly"
 He summed up the present problems and difficulties of the railroads as fol- lows:
 First.-The multiplicity of regula- tions by the several states with respect to the issue of securities, involving de- lays and conflicting state policies gen. erally dangerous and possibly disas- trous.
 Second.-The state regulation of rates in such a manner as to unduly reduce revenues, to discriminate in fa- vor of localities and shippers within its own borders as against localities and shippers in other states and to dis turb and disarrange the structure of interstate rates.
 Third.-The inability of the Inter- state Commerce Commission, whoever the commissioners may be, to perform the vast duties devolving upon it pp- der existing laws, resulting in delay which should never occur in commer- cial matteEs-and compelling the com missioners to accept the conclusions of their employees as final in deciding matters of great importance to the commercial and railroad interests of the country.
 Fourth. practical legality that has been accorded conspiracies to tie up and suspend the operation of the railroads of the country by strikes and violence and the absence of any law to compel the settlement of such dis putes by arbitration or other judicial means, as all other issues between citi- zens in civilized states are to be set tied.
 Fifth.-The phenomenal increase in the taxation of railroads in recent years.
 Sixth.-The cumulative effect of these conditions upon the investing public, to which railroad companies must look for the capital necessary to continue development.
 We believe that the unification of regulation is essential" said Judge