New-York tribune., 1918-07-12
Holds 1t Is Unfair to Force
Government to Retain
Unneeded Roads
New Rates Promised
Feeders Are to Have More
Equitable Share in
Joint Tariffs

WASHINGTON, July n.-President
Wilson to-day vetoed the resolution
adopted by Congress last week extend
ing the time in which the Railroad Ad-
ministration might relinquish control
of lines not wanted in the Federal sys-
tenn
The veto had been expected because
of q provision added to the bill for
bidding the REIMBURSEMENT of any raod
where a connecting or competing line
was retained. This was construed as
meaning that the government would
have to resume possession of a large
number of short lines relinquished a
few hours before Congress passed the
bill.
Many if not all Of the feeders to
main lines, the President said in his
veto message, are very important and
essential, but there are about 100
short lines which are merely private
convenicnces of logging, commercial
and other companies. which have not
been taken into the Federal system.
Some Of the essential short lines, he
added. should be given fairer dvi-
sion of joint rates, and he pledged the
Railroad Administration to a policy
which will not be unfair to the essen
tial short lines.
Individual arrangements should be
made with each of these companies,
however, the President said. in every
earnestly" opposing the proposed policy
of forcing the government to retain
all the lines.
The Presidents veto message fol-
lows:
II regret to be obliged to return
without my signature Senate joint
resolution 159.
'l do so because I very respectfully
but very earnestly dissent from the
policy which it embodes. Under its
terms the government would be obliged
to assume the control and adminstra-
tion of all short line railroads, with
cut discrimination. | spectfully sub
NIT that this is not in the public in
terest. There are terminal short lines
1T many centres of freight shipment
and some 1,700 short lines which were
built and controlled by manufacturing,
mining, numbering and other COM
panies, and which are operated merely
for the convenience of those companies
which would be included under the
language of this resolution, very few
of which it seems to me, if any, ought
70 be taken over and administered by
The government.
"The remaining short roads are feed
ers to the main trunk lines, and more
than mere feeders, most of them, for
they have in most instances played a
very important part in building up the
industries of the communities through
which they run and have become es-
sential to the prosperity of hundreds
of towns and neighborhoods all over
the union. | quite agree that practic-
ally all Of these should be retained
and that they should not only be re-
tained, but that they should be ac.
corded a fair division of joint rates
II fairer division than some of them
nave been accorded hitherto - and
equitable allotment of cars and motive
power and for routing arrangements.
Some of them constitute connecting
iinks between two or more trunk line
systems. Those who play this part in
-he system of railways should be ac-
corded as full share in through ship
ments as is consistent with the gem
cral interests of the shipper and the
public.
This is the policy which the
Railroad Administration will pursue
toward these roads. They will not be
put at an unfair or ruinous disadvant-
age. The government owes recog-
nized obligation. to the communities
which they serve, but it is not, in my
Judgment, wise to oblige the govern
lnent to deal in the same way with all
OF them regardless of very great
variety of circumstances which affect
their facilities and their administra-
ton. beg that the Congress will
leave the government free to enter
into arrangements with them which
will in each case be to the interest
alike of the road dealt with and of the
local puhlic"