Le MeschaceÌbeÌ. [volume] ([Lucy] La.) 1853-1942, 1918-01-12
NATIONS RAILWAY
PROGRAM LAID
BEFORE CONGRESS
PRESIDENT WILSON IN ADDRESS
TO HOUSE AND SENE e MAKES
KNOWN REcoMMENDATIo
SAFEGUARD INTERESTS
Expresses the Hpe That Congress viii
Grant All That Is Requested, and
That IL Be Given Promptly
and UngrudgIngiy.


Washington.-Legi to regu-
late the governments operation OF
railroads and to guarantee the carriers
compensation on the basis Of their
average operating income for the last
three years was asked of congress by
President Wilson in an address Friday
to both houses in joint session.
The president spoke as follows:
Ger emen of the Congress: have
asked the privilege of addressing you
in order to report that on the 28th of
December last, during the recess OF
congress, acting through the secretary
of war and under the authority confer
red upon me by the act Of congress
approved August .29, E916, I took pos
session and assumed control of the
railway lines of the country and the
systems of water transportation under
their control. This step seemed to be
imperatively necessary in the interest
of the public welfare, in the presence
of the great tasks of war with which
we are now dealing. AS our expert
ence develops difficulties and makes
it clear what they are, have deemed
it my duty to remove those difficulties
wherever have the legal power to do
sO
To assume control Of the vast rail-
way systems of the country is, l real
ize, very heavy responsibility, but to
fail to do so in the existing circum-
stances would have been much great
er. l assumed the lesser responsible
ity rather than the weightier. / am
sure that / am speaking the mind of
all thoughtful Americans when / say
that it is our duty as the representa-
tives of the nation to do everything
that it is necessary to do to secure
their complete mobilization of the
whole resources of America by as
rapid and effective a means as can
be found. Transportation supplies all
the arteries of mobilization. Unless
it be under single and unified direc-
tion, the whole process of the nations
action is embarrassed.
It was in the true spirit of America
and it was right that we should first
try to effect the necessary unffication
under the voluntary action of those
who were in charge of the great rail-
way properties; and we did try it. The
directors of the railways responded to
the need promptly and generously.
Task Found Too Difficult.
The group of railway executives who
were charged with the task of actual
coordination and general direction
performed their difficult duties with
patriotic zeal and marked ability, as
was to have been expected, and did,
believe, everything that it was pos
sible for them to do in the circum-
stances. If l have taken the task out
of their hands, it has not been be-
cause of any dereliction or failure on
their part but only because there were
some things which the government can
do and private management can not
We shall continue to value most high
ly the advice and assistance of these
gentlemen, and am sure we shall not
find them Withholding it. 1t had be-
come unmistakably plain that only un-
der government administration can
the entire equipment of the several
systems of transportation be fully and
unreservedly thrown into a common
service without injurious discrimina-
tion against particular properties.
Only under government administra-
ton can an absolutely and unembar-
rassed common use be made of all
tracks, terminals, terminal facilities
and equipment of every kind. Only
under that authority can new ter
minals be constructed and developed
without regard to the requirements or
limitations of particular roads. But
under government administration all
these things will be possible-not in
stantly, but as fast as practical diff
culties, which can not be conjured
away, give way before the new man
agement.
The common administration will be
carried out with as little disturbance
Of the present operating organizations
and personnel of the railways as pos
sible. Nothing will be altered or dis
turbed which it is not necessary to
disturb. We are serving the public |
interest and safeguarding the public |
safety, but we are also regardful of |
The interest Of those by whom these |