Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-16
EXECUTIVE SPEECH
ON ROADS RUM0RED
Members Of Congress Not Yet
informed That President
Win Address Them.
DIFFERENCES OF OPINION

The ranpr spread about Washington
last night that President Wilson would
address Congress on the railroad situa-
ton tomorrow or Tuesday. making roc
concentrations for further legislation to
relieve the situation.
Leaders of Congress, however. said
that they had no communication yet as
to any plans the President might have
for appearing before a joint session of
the two houses.
It is nowh that the President has
been studying the transportation prob
lem with diligence for many days, aud
in his address at the opening or Con-
gress he announced that he might ap-
pear again to dictiss this question. X
he does not take this action within the
next two days, hts recommendations
necessarily must walt until Congress
for ending the Christmas recess.
Predictions as to Action.
That the President will recommend
further control of the railroads by the
federal government in the present
crisis was the prediction made last
night by members of Congress who
have been in close touch with the sit
uation-
just how far this control will go. how
ever. they were unable to indicate, or
whether further legislation would be re-
quired. He has already been given au-
thority over priority of shipments and
authority to take over the roads and
operate them in the case of military
necessity.
II is the belief in well informed quar-
| ters that the President, If he decides
that the government must take firn1er
| hold of the railroads and their opera
| ton. win avail himself of the services
he rx-f, hos o1r dxy fana
voting their attention TO the co-ordtna-
| ton of the roads i'm war work.
There is distinct and serious opposf-
| ton in Congress to having the govern
ment take over the operation of the
| railroads for the period of the war,
On the other hand there are members
of the Senate and House who strongly
(, favor out-and-out government owner
ship. That the President will make
such recomme ndation at this time
| does not appear probable.
Would Draw Protests.
| During the hearing yesterday before
| the joint congressional committee now
investigating transportation problems,
| Charles E. Elfnuufst. formerly a MEM
| Der of the Minnesota railway commits
| sion. declared that IL the government
took over the control Of the railroads
as a. war emergency measure, and
eliminated the state railway commis-
sions, it would draw protests from the
| country.
Mr. Mills declared the railroads
seemed to have the ear of the, news
papers, while Representative Sims of
Tennessee. recently made chairman OF
the House Interstate commerce commit
| tee. hatly declared news sent out from
Washington was biased in favor OF
| the railroads.
| Later Representative Sims. in re-
Spouse to the request for specimens of
such dispatches as he referred to, gave
| this statement to the Associated Press.
| 'If what said before the COMMITTEES
| this morning as reported makes il ape
pear that the Associated Press sent
cut garbled or unfair statements as
4 to what took. place before committees
land other official bodies in references
To railroads, 1t Is erroneous and will
1 be cerrected by me before the same In
priptkd. for I know of no such par
ticulaf Instances.
Restates His Position.
MY statement was intended to be
that al a general rule the railroad
,side has been more generally dis
tetssed and reported in the magazines
and the newspapers than has the other
is better informed of the position of the
railroads. of the character of the legis-
lation they seek and their arguments In
support of legislation sought by them.
But I do NOT mean to insinuate that
| the Associated Press or other agencies
| have had any other motive than to
faithfully and fairly report the pro-
ceedings of these several bodies. And
| IL what I said conveys any other idea.
it was erroneous and will not appear
| in the printed reeords."