Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-05-03
MEASURE TO GIVE
US. CONTROL OF
CAR MOVEMENTS
Bill By Representative Esch Would
Make Government Authority Su-
preme During War; For Relief
of Shortage
washington Starr


Another big war measure to give
the government supreme control in
the matter Of emergency railroad traf-
fic, made it's bow in the House of
Representatives today, when Repre-
sentative Esch of Wisconsin, ranking
Republican of the interstate and for
eign commerce committee, filed a
unanimous report on his bill affecting
car shortages. The bill has the back
ing of the administration and is in"
dorsed by the interstate commerce
commission, as well as by the asso-
citation which represents the various
state railroad commissions, and also
by various industrial and shipping or
ganizations.
Representative Esch, one Of the rec
ognized railroad authorities Of Con-
gress, has written bill which gives
the interstate commerce commission
the most summary rights in the mat
ter of moving cars whenever a. car
famine exists.
The interstate and foreign COM
merce committee, without politics or
partisanship, ordered favorable re-
port on the measure, which now has
the status Of an administration bill,
and will probably be enacted at the
present session.
The main feature Of the bill is as
follows:
Main Feature of Bill
whenever the commission Il. e,
the interstate commerce commisston)
shall be of opinion that an emergency
exists in respect of the supply or use
of cars for transportation Of proper
ty, the commission shall have, and, is
hereby given, authority, either upon
complaint or upon it's own initiative
without complaint, at once, and IL 1t
so orders, without answer or other
formal pleading by the interested car
rier or carriers, and with or without
notice. hearing or the making or fill
ing Of a report, according as the COM
mission may determine to suspend
the operation of any or allSrules, reg
ulations or practices then established
with respect to car service for such
time during the continuance OF the
emergency as may be determined by
the commission, and also authority to
make such just and reasonable dlrec-
tions with respect to car service, or
for the distribution and movement OF
cars for the transportation to and
from particular localities during the
emergency as in it's opinion will best
meet the emergency and promote op-
Grafton of car service i'll the interest,"
of the public and to the advantage or
the convenience and commerce OF the
people.
"The directions Of the commission
as to car service, distribution and
movement during the emergency may
be made through and by such agents
or agencies as the commission shall
designate and appoint for that pur-
pose."
Bill Carefully Framed
The bill was framed after careful
consultation with Commissioner Hall
of the interstate commerce commits
sion, who made a formal appearance
before the entire committee.
In his report Representative Esch
lists a few of the reasons for the re-
markable car shortage in the past
few months. He gives lack of ade-
quate terminal and yard facilities;
lack of cars and motive power; hold
ing cars for speculative purposes, and
lack of ocean carrying space.