The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1918-01-10
ASKS coNeREsseTOpf cAaE FOR
INTERESTS or euHLlc AND
OWNERS or RAILROADS.
ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY
Joint Session o. Congress HearS
Presidents Message Outlining
Plan Of Taking Full Control
Of Transportatloi Lines.

and unrestricted powers to conduct the
federal operation of the country's rail.
roads,
Before a joint session OF the House
and Senate Friday the President out.
lined the initial step necessary to the
success of Director General McAdoo's
administration of the lines He ex.
planned that the action already taken
was necessary to secure the complete
mobilization of the whole resources of
America by as rapid and effective
means as can be found" Private in
terests, he said, must for the present
give way to the public necessity
This is what he asked:
Necessary means for protecting the
interests Of railroad stockholders
Measures to protect travellers and
safeguard private shippers.
Compensation for the railroads based
on the average net railway operating
income of three years ending June 30,
1917.
1t was plain business message,
taking but Is minutes to deliver, and
was received quietly by the legisla-
tors. ~
The President obviously sought to
quiet any possible unrest which might
result from the sweeping action Of
the government
1T is of the utmost consequence to
the government ITSELF he said, that
all great financial operations be
stabilized and co-ordinated with the
financial operations of the govern
ment"
Immediately after the President
concluded, Representative Sims, chair
man of the House interstate commerce
committee, introduced a bill carrying
out the Presidents recommendations
The message follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress-:
have asked the privilege of address
ing you in order to report to you that
on the 28th Of December last, during
the recess of congress, acting through
the secretary of war and under the
authority conferred upon me by the
act of congress approved August 30,
1915, ! took possession and assumed
control Of the railway lines Of the
country and the system of water
transportation under their control.
This step seemed to be imperatiYely
necessary In the interest OF the public
welfare In the presence of the great
tasks Of war with which we are now
dealing, Az our own experience de-
Yelops difficulties and makes 1t clear
what they are, ! have deemed 1t my
duty to remove those difficulties
wherever have the legal power to do
so. To assume control Of the. vast
railway systems Of the country is, |
realize, a very great responsibility,
but to fail to do so in the existing
circumstances would have been a
much greater. | assumed the less
responsibility rather than the weight
Ter.
Mobilize Resources.
ri am sure that am speaking the
mind of all thoughtful Americans
when say that it is our duty as the
representatives of the nation, to do
everything that 1t is necessary to do to
secure the complete mobilization of
the whole resources of America by as
rapid and effective means as can be
found. Transportation supplies all the
arteries of mobilization. Unless it be
under a single and unified direction,
the whole process of the nations
action is embarrassed.
ut was in the true spirit of America
and it was right, that we should first
try to effect the necessary unifica-
ton under the voluntary action Of
those who were in charge of the great
railway properties; and we did try it.
The directors Of the railways respond
ed to the need promptly and generous.
ly. The group of railway executives
who were charged with the task OF
actual coordination and general direc.
ton performed their difficult duties
with patriotic zeal and marked abil-
ity, as was to have been expected, and
did, | believe, everything that 1t was
possible for them to do inethe circum-
stances. II | have taken the task out
Of their hands, 1t has not been be-
cause of any dereliction or failure on
their part, but only because there we're
some things which the gpyernmentecaR
do and private management cannot.
We shall continue to value most high
" the advice and assistance Of these
gentlemen, and am sure we shall not
find them withholding It. atgee3
viii BE No Discrimination.
ut has become unmistakably plain
that only under government admins
tratton can the entire equipment OF
the several systems OF transpOrtstfoa
be fully and hnreservedly thrown Into
common service without dHJafious
discrimination against particular prop
critics. Only under government admin
Istration can an absolutely AnrestTict-
cd and hnernb arFasged cohlin0a use be
made Ol BIZ tracks, terminals terminal
facilities and equipment o. every kind
Only under that authority can new
terminals be constf3itksdf and de
veloped without regard tie lreguife
ments of limitationss W 5partlcplaI
roads. But under government admin
.stration all these things. will be pos
sf6Ie-not instantly, nut IS FAST al
practical difficulties which cannot be
merely conjured away, give way be-
fore the new management.