Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-03

which it would be necessary to under.
HIS them: Every approach 10 this
~ !HSS us race to face. therefore, with
ihiS unanswered question: what is II
rlSnt 'hat we should DO with the rail
I !" o. r IN the interest OF the public and
NOT PREPARED no SAY
WHAT IS BEST COURSE
,ns net me naa say a; once that have no
hi IS nsrfcc ready ;o The only thing that
no, 'ff pir tiih clear to me Is that i, is
owners or the railroads TO leave The
umesoton unanswered and that II will
control of the roads, even before Inc
expiration of khe statutory period. un
;oss mere Should Appear some clear
, ,dae soiu,ion Their release would at
least produce one element OF a solution
namely certainty ana IL quick stimuia-
ZION OF private initiative.
Il believe that ii will be seryiceable
ior me TO set forth as explicitly as
possible the alternative courses that
ne open to GUY choice We can simply
release tho roads and go back to The
ola conditions of private management
unrestricted competition ant mtiltiforr,
regulation by both state and Federal
poSite extreme and establish complct @
government control, accompanied, ir
necessary. by actual government own
crshtp; or we can adopt an interme-
dlntc course of modified private con-
troll, under a more unified and e0irmn
I'VE puDilc ragulation and under such
diteraIions OF the law as will permit
Wastefui competition to he avoided and
considerable degree of unification Of
auministra ton TO be effected, as. for
example, by rcgl onal corporations I'M
der which the railways OF dcfnabic
single systems '
inc one conclusion that I am ready
10 state with confidence is tina; II
Wohld pc disservice alike to the co,In-
Try ana to the owners of the railroads
20 return to the old conditions unmodi-
without Developments There lis moth
Ing affirmative or helpful about them
Mhat the country chiefly needs is that
h hn h hS means OF TRANSFORMATION should
ways, its highways and it's country
side roads Some new element of pol-
icy, therefore,. is absolutely necessary
necessary for the service of the pub
nc necessary for the release of credit
10 those who are administering the
raiIways. necessary. for the protection
or their secUrityholders. The old policy
may be changed much or little. but
surely 1t cannot wisely be left as
IT was hope that the Congress will
have complete and impartial study
OF the whole problem instituted at once
ana prosecuted as rapidly as possible.
stand ready and anxious to release
the roads from the present control,
ana must do so at very early date,
II by waiting until the statutory limit
OF time Is reached ! shall be merely
proiongmg the period OF doubt and
uncertainty which Is hurtful to every
interest concerned.
TELLS CONGRESS PURPOSE
OF GOING TO PARIS
! welcome this occasion to announce
10 Inc Congress my purpose to Join
IN Iaris the representatives of the
governments with which we have been
associated in the war against the cen
trail empires for the purpose of dis
cusSing with them the main features
OF the treaty of peace. | realize the
great Inconvenience that will attend
my leaving the country. particularly at
TINS time. but the conclusion that il was
my paramount duty to go has been
forced upon me by considerations which
nope VIII seem as conclusive to YOU
as they have seemed TO me.
THE allied governments have accented
tne haseJ 81 peace which outlined to
ne Congress on the Sth Of january
last, as the central empires also have
ard very reasonably desire my persona
counsel in their Interpretation and an
r'iGation. and il is highly desirable
mat should give il in order that the
sincere desire of our government to
contribute without selfish purpose OF
amy kind to settlements that will be
Of common benefit to all the nations