The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-12-14
The Railroad Question
Annual Report of Interstate
Commerce Commission
Discusses What is to
Be Done With Rail-
roads.

washington, Lee. . 1V-"ItGSdfUlSSS
of whether railroads finally go back
Ito private management or remain in
1.-THE hands: Of the government. radical
changes should be made in their
methods and theories of operation to
provide a partial merger under some
sort of government regulation, the
Interstate Commerce Commission
says in it's annual report made public
today.
The Commission believes the time
is not ripe to recommend concrete
proposals for legislation relating to
the future policy toward railroads.
but says whatever be the nations de-
icision. there should be provision for
complete unification Of the railways
in war time, partial merger IN ordI-
nary time, limitation Of railway con-
lstruction to public necessity, and
Evelopment Of inland waterways, and
their coordination with rail carriers.
In other words, the Commission is
opposed to restoration Of the old con-
ditions of individual competition, in
which pooling Of traffic was forbid
den by law, and to the building OF
new lines without proof to the gov
ernment that they are economically
necessary.
If it is finally decided TO restore
railroads to private management, says
the Commission, there should be
Legislation to permit their coopera-
| ton, emancipation Of railway opera
tion from financial dictation, govern
ment regulation of security issues;
clearing away Of the existing twilight
zone between the authority of state
and federal authorities in railroad
supervision; efficient use Of equip
ment and common use Of terminals.
On the other hand, if the policy Of
government ownership should. be
! adopted, the principal questions to
be considered are: The price to be
paid for the roads; means of prevent
ing the railroads from being sources
tof revenue to the government, ana
i also to maintain them as sel1-sup-
porting; measures to define carefully
+ the responsibility of the railway ad-.
ministration to Congress and other
federal and state authorities; guaran-
tees against intrusion OF partisan
policies into railway management, and
creation Of a tribunal to settlement
!of controversies over railroad mat
ters.
Some sort Of government regula-
ition is suggested by the COMMISSION
lin connection with each OF the ilvt
alternatives Oh Iulute poiASy "iA->N-
NAV be set forth by different interests
in the near future These altcrna-
tives are: Continuation Of the pres
ent system of government control
with private ownership, public owner
ship with private operation, private
operation with government regulation
and guarantees, complete private
control and ownership and complete
public ownership and operation.
The report deals at length with
the upheaval OF railroad relations
caused by the war and the govern
ment's assumption Of operation, and
the relation of the Interstate Com
merce Commission to Director Cen
eral McAdoo and the railroad admin
istration The Commission has CO.
operated fully with the government
management, says the report, but the
Commission still retains its authority
TO review rates initiated by the Di-
rector General.
Railroad valuation work of the
Commission, which will become of
great Importance in case of govern
ment purchase, is proceeding with
little interference on account OF. the
war. Safety work has been assumed
partly by the railroad administration.
but educational work is, being con-
tinued throughout the country. The
Commission in the last year has made
great strides in seeking to promise
uniform rate. classiieations. and has
undertaken number Of other inves-
legations Of rates and practices.
The report, including the statement
concerning future policies toward
railroads, is signed by all the COM
missioners, except George w. An
derson, who recently resigned to ac-
Others are: Winthrop NJ. Daniels
chairman; Edgar E. Clark. James S.
Harlan, Charles c. McChord. Baltha-
.sar H. Meyer. Henry c. Hail., Clyde
IB. Aitchison and Robert w. Wooley