The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1917-04-13
RAILROAD SITUATION
IS NOW LARGELY
UP TO CONGRESS
Must Share Responsibility In
Future Development.
ROBERT S. LOVETTS VIEWS

Washington, March 26.-Responsibil-
ity for the railway development of the
country, for providing necessary trans
portatiOn 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 its inquiry into
the subject of railroad regulation this
week.
In making this statement of the
changed conditions of the railroad sit
uation Judge Lovett undoubtedly had
In mind the decision of the supreme
court ON the Adamson law, handed
down last week, which establishes the
right of the 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.
1--WE have our share of responsible
ity," said Judge Lovett, "but 1t rests
primarily on congress. When the gov
eminent 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 series of unrelated, incon-
sistent, conflicting statutes enacted by
different states without relation to
each other, instead of providing com
plete and carefully studied and pre-
pared system of regulation for bust
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.
lions by the several states with respect
to the issue of securities, involving de
lays and conflicting state policies gen
orally dangerous and possibly disas
trous.
Second.-The state regulation Of
rates in such manner as to unduly
reduce revenues, toidiscriminate in IA
vor of localities and shippers within
, its own borders as against localities
f 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 un-
der existing laws, resulting in delay
which should never occur in CONNER.
: cial matters-and compelling the com
r missioners to accept the conclusions OF
}. their employees as final in deciding
S matters of great importance to the
commercial and railroad interests Of
the country.
FOurth.-The practical legality tina
" has been accorded cOnspiracies to Il,
:, up and suspend the operation of thu
4 railroads of the country by strikes ant
@ violence and the absence of any Law
to compel the settlement of such dis
I. putes by arbitration or other judicia
|. means, as all other issues between Cit
G zens in civilized states are to be sci
IS tied.
y Fifth.-The phenomenal Increase i
n the taxation of, railroads in recen
=, years.
u Sixth.-The cumulative effect G
- = these conditions upon the investin
a. public, to which railroad companie
'o must look for the capital necessary
ID continue development.
es I'VE believe that the, unitication {
of regulation is essential said Judg
lie Lovett, land that with the rapid il
IT, crease of state commissions in recer
m years congress will in time be con
ID PEELED to exercise its power in Il
premises. To unity regulation thel
~ :. should be a complete, harmonious, co.
sistent and related system. We b
II, lieve the best, if not the only practic
G plan, is the federal incorporation
or railroads by general law, which w
al make incorporation Hereunder col
Ist pulsory, thus imposing on all rallrot
S. companies throughout the Unite
States the same corporate powers al
~ restrictions with respect to their lina
cial operations and the same duti
and obligations to the public and Il
\ government so that every investor W
know precisely what every railro
"a corporation may and may not lawful
~ do"
Judge Lovett contended that the s
luton, of these problems and diffic1
ties rested with congress He told t
committee that under the constitute
>, the authority Of the federal Cover
-. ment is paramount, that congress b
the power to legislate for centraliz
control of railroads under federal oh;
ters and that it only remains for Ii
body to exercise that power
THE COLORED MAN AND HI