The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-01-04

Washington, ,JanL 4.-President Will son today laid before congress, assem- bled in joint session, his recommenda- tions for carrying out government op- eration of railroads. Bills to carry out the presidents idea already had been prepared under the supervision of the department of justice and were immediately introduced with plans for prompt. consideration in both house and senate.
 The president spoke as follows:
 "Gentlemen of the Congress:
 q have asked the privilege of ad- dressing you in order to report that on December 2S la4t during the recess Of congress, acting through the sec retary of war and under the authority conferred upon me by the act of con- gress, approved August 29, 1916, I took possession and assumed control of the railway lines of the country and the systems of water transportation under their control. This step seem ed 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
 
 and makes it clear what they are, l have deemed it my duty to remove those difficulties wherever I have the legal power to do so. To assume control of the vast railway systems of the country is, I realize, avery great responsibility, but to fail to do so in the existing circumstances would have been a much greater. In assumed the less responsibility rathbr than the weightier.
 "I am sure that am speaking the mind of all thoughtful Americans when I say 1t is our duty as the repre- sentatiYes of the nation to do every thing it is necessary to do to secure the 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 a single and unified direction the whole process of the nAtion's action is em- barrassed.
 "It was in the true spirit of Aneri- ca, and it was right, that we should first try to effect the necessary unifi- cation 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 gener. ous1y. The group of railway exeeu. tiYes who were charged with the tasl of actual coordination and genera direction performed their difficult dut ies with patriotic zeal and marked ability, as was to have been expected and did, I believe, everything it wa possible for them to do in the circum stances. If I have taken the task ou of their hands it has not been becaus of any dereiiction or failure on thei part, but only because there wer some things which the governmen can do and private management can not. We shall continue to value mos highly the advice and assistance o these gentlemen and I am sure W shall not find them withholding it.
 Tt had become uAmistakabiy pfai that only under government admins tration can the entire equipment c the several systems of transpoftatio be fully and unFeservedly thrown int 8 common service without injuriou discrimination against particular preI critics. Only under government ad mlnistration can absolutely unrestrict ed and uRembarrassed common use made of all tracks, terminals, term nal facilities and equipment of ever kind. Only under that authority ca new terminals be constructed and dt veloped without regard to the rt quiremeats or limitations of partic, lar roads. But under government at ninistration all these things will | possible-not instantly, but as fast { practical dilHcuities, which cannot | merely conjured away. give way b. fore the new management.
 ''The common administration wi be carried cut with as little dissuri ance of the present operating organ zations and personnel of the railwa, as possible. Nothing will be altere