The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-17
TREND OF THOUGHT TO
STATE-0WkED RAILWAYS
National As~oeiatton Of Railway Conn.
mi"~feners Meet im WASHINGTON,
MAY TAKE OVER ROADS.
Interstate G nm m cree commsxxsc.~w
haii Declares Railways Are Not B@-
you'd Feasibility of Governmental
Seizure,

| washington, October is-How +,
| help the United States win the wa,
was the subject the National Assoria,
ton OF Railway Commissioners dis
eussed today, The spirit of patriotism
ran entirely through the meeting wh,c,
consumed tho finest day Of the ANNA
convention Thtrty-ane state -.
represented
Henry C. Hall. of the interstate com.
meros commission, sounded the note q,
the convention when he said 10 tn.
/ commissioners:
We can't all so across the seas IL
nght some OF us ara too old. and
some OF aus are disabled, and there are
/ other reasons with many Of US. Blu,
the lighting line viii be of little avail!
unless we who are behind the line do
our part We must not be met In thu
aays or the future with the reproaeh
that we did not do our part.
W rnca common foe TyeryFbTns
sinks into insigniHcance compared win
winning the war. We must do All VS.
can to keep ths arteries of oommsrce
open"
by no means are the railroads OF
this country beyond tn. possibility al
being seized by the government. Mr.
Hail said. He declared that thus far
the successful cooperation between
the reads and the government had
made II necessary for the government
TO take over the railroads as IL had
done the ships
Max Thelan. OF California, the as~o-
cations president. begged the state
commissions to show cooperation with
the railroads and public service corpo-
ration IN order that their operating Ia
citities might be increased, and their
war services thus hettareA
- IA a1sss Ssfsas TsiaEEss sassf9rts rers srsads
during the day, Edwin c. Egerson. of
California. reported for the special
committee on government ownership:
The trend OF our times Ia Tn the
direction Of complete public control.
Ownership and operation OF public utiI-
tiles, The committee recommends that
special permanent commission be APP
pointed to represent the association In
case the government takes any impor-
tant action before 1915.
TT has always been urged by OPP
ponents OF government ownership In
the United States and Canada that mil
itary considerations are no factors in
railroad questions In the United States
This was perhaps true prior to April
.. 1877. but 1t Is true no longer In
the future the national government
will keep constantly In mind the rail-
roads place AS an Aii-important tnstru-
mont for the country's defense This ts
great reason why the movement to-
ward complete national control will
continue"
Recommendations were made by
Charles r MoChord. interstate COM
merce commissioner. that all tracks
and equipment be inspected by the
that the block system be
made compulsory. and that uniform
operating rules be adopted. Grade
crossings and a federal trespass law
were also advised. 1t was recommend
cd that extra fare trains be cut OF
during the war. and that all-steei cars
be Invariably substituted for wooden
ones.
The report by the committee on capt
talisation and incorporate relations
recomm ended public control of utility
company securities and federal control
of securities put out by interstate con-
Germs.