New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-06

Continued fromspage
tation upoa which the power of the
rat;on TO make itself felt depends.
There is no apparent policy. and there
are q dozen agencies more or less con-
Trajectory in their purposes, all taxing
a hand in carrying out that lack OF
policy. IN. .sl
TO internal and oceanic transportation,
and that is that additional facilities
will not be provided in any large
measure for many months 10 come,
probably not during the year 1913.
What is imperatively needed is some
one who knows how 10 use and who
will use most economically what roll
ing stock and what ships we have.
Ships are said to be used TO only 90
per cent of their capacity. Persons VINO
come here TO Washington report seeing
loaded railroad cars standing for miles
in the congested parts Of the country
for lack of facilities for unloading or
trackage on which 70 operate.
Would any one say that the utmost
is being got out Of our cars and en-
gincs? The Railroad War Board puts
out figures TO show that operation re-
suits arc % per cent better than they
used TO be. But the comparison is with
an utterly wasteful system OF com
petition. which our laws and the bust
ness habits of the country compelled.
Let the railroads be really operated
as a unit with pooled earnings, with
pooled terminals and with government
authority to commander property for
temporary additions to terminal IA
cilties where they are needed. and
very much greater results would be
got from rolling stock.
But back of the railroad failure is
tho failure of the shipping board and
the fuel administration. Ocean ship
ping used only to 90 per cent OF its
capacity means a backing up of traffic
in terminals and freight cars. And
the failure Of the Administration to
pool coal and then distribute il in
zones, making the least possible de-
mand upon traffic facilities, is largely
responsible for the congestion of traf-
fc in the coal centres where congestion
is now worst
The Commissions Report
The report of the commission to Con-
gress follows:
"To the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatives:
1.-THE act to regulate commerce re-
quires the commission TO transmit to
the Congress such recommendations as
TO additional legislation relating TO
regulation of commerce as the commits
sion may deem necessary. UnGer this
mandate, the commission submits the
following special report, experimenting
a. -, to
transportation conditions as affecting
and affected by the war in which the
United States is now engaged:
"The railroads of the country came
into being under the stimulus of com
petition. From the outset their opera
tioa and Development have been re-
sponsible to a competition which has
grown with the growth of population
and industry. This competitive influence
has been jealousy guarded and fos-
tered by state laws and constitutions
as well as by the Federal law.
"The keenncss Of rivalry naturally
drew TO the front those who were quick
to seize and rcsolute to retain every
available point Of vantage for their
respective roads. Terminals, if con
fined to exclusive use, were not only
OF lihp'i DhN PAOuk-
Welding assets. Out of competition
grew rate wars, pooling mergers and
consolidation into systems, as well as
the rebating and other preferential
treatment of shippers which the act
TO regulate commerce was primarily
framed to prevent.
Pooling Was Prohibited
an that act the Congress. accepting
the competitive principle as salutary,
has thrown about il prohibitions
agsins. compacts for the pooling OF
freights or divisions of earnings of
different and competing railroads,
and while the original act is but the
nucleus of the act we now administer.
that prohibition has remained un-
changed.
"But the original act and successive
amendments were alike framed in
times Of peace and for times OF peace.
They looked 10 protection Of the ship
per and the public against unjust or
unfair treatment by the carrier. and
not 10 protection of the nation and its
commerce in time Of war by utilization
Of all the forces and resources Of its
transportation systems to their fullest
extent.
"Sincc the outbreak Of the war in
l'urope and csneciaily since this coun-