South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-06
ACTION FIRST
Of YEAR ON
RAIL PROBLEM
Entire Transportation Situa-
ton viii be ThreShed
Out in Congress at
Early Date.
International News service

international News Service:
WASHINGTON. Dec. Con
eressional action on revolutionary
plans TO deal with the railroad sit
uation will come early i'm the new
yea. This was certain today fol-
lowing impromptu conferences be
tween administration chiefs and
leading senator's and representa-
tives.
AS in every war move 20 date the
wishes of Prest Wilson will con-
troll The interstate commerce COM
mittee Of both branches Of congress
will call upon him at an early date.
Then the entire railway situation
viii be threshed out Already the
president has made an intensive
study of the intricate problems. To-
day he has before him all of the
data on which the interstate COM
iuerce commission based its recon-
mendation of complete cOordina-
tcu Of the railways of the country
either under railroad committee or
under presidential direction; the
mass OF information compiled by
The food and fuel directors which
shows how utterly impossible the
present system is and data submit
ted hv the railroads themselves
showing that their present revenues
Lave made IL impossible to get the
equipment which would bring the
ta Dads up 10 the necessary stand
urI for war efficiency.
Situation Complex.
The situation admittedly is COM
pick and 10 will probably be several
aay- before sentiment crystalizes
sufficiently TO allow the drafting of
90 comprehensive bill As a matter
nf fact there is very wide diverg-
rucc Of opinion among senators and
representatives as 10 what must be
done. Everywhere it lis admitted that
the present system is intolerahle.
With winter now commenced, prac-
ucauy the entire country is i'm the
throes OF n coal famine. Food sup
plies are short in many places.
FARMERS bitterly complain that al
though they planted all vacant land
90 get food 20 win the war much
of this food remains ON the ground
either because men could not be
hired To harvest IL or the railroads
have failed 20 furnish the cars TO
send It 90 market
Congress il Divided.
But the membership of the con
eress today was divided into three
groups faVoring three separate plans
90 remedy the situation as follows,
one. including i'm its membership
many of the older members. which
believes that the government should
loan the railroads two billion dol
lars with which 90 build new tracks
90 parallel present systems. equip
uent and 10 increase wages so there
would he no shortage Of men
4 second. I'm which are many of
the first group. who favor pooling
an railway systems as "A single road
hv repeating all anti-combine laws.
operating the roads as a unit
through the medium of commit
lee representing an roads and guar
anteeinE TO all bond and stockhold-
ors "a reasonable dividend. on
rreir investment for the period Of
he war.
: third. comparatively small but
very influential. who agree with In
terstate Commerce Commissioner
NcChord that the president should
Ike over the railroads and operate
hem as a government institution
Tor the period OF the war. and IL that
proves successful q continue gov
eminent ownership as permanent
Institution.
Others OF One Mind.
The directing minds of all ~ the
ration's biggest war bureaus i'm
washington TO-DAY were I'M the fall
50 accord that the president must
lake over the roads They were not
divided I'M opinion as congress They
insist that the statistics they have
gathered proves conclusively that
-omplete mobilization OF the indus
trial and military resources OF the
country Is impossible until the rail
roads are federalized whether
through complete ownership or sim
ply tor direction during the war
they say. does not matter. They
Know that transportation Is utterly
eonfused and that the various rom
edies So far applied have failed O.
EunA