The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-06-14
Others Not Desired Will Have
to Shift for Themselves
After January L.
NO GENERAL AGREEMENT
Where Short Lines Are Not
Taken Over Government Will
Lend Aid in Operation and
Maintenance.

Washington, June 13.-Follow
ing recent correspondence between
Director General of Railroads Nc
Adoo and Senator Simmons num-
Der. of senators representing South
eastern states held conference here
yesterday over the short line railroad
crisis and these developments came
out:
The railroad administration pro-
poses to treat each short line indi-
gvidually and, cannot make general
agreement covering all the smaller
y roads.
q Some of the very small lines must
shift FOR themselves after January
Z L, fs19.s,1
Certain short lines that are con-
trolied by the trunk lines will be ms
tained under government control
and operated along with the trunk
lines. Wv
Where this latter situation does
not exist the government is willing
to turnsthe short lines over to their
owners and cooperate with them in
operation, but the government will
not guarantee compensation or fnan-
cial aid. ~
An amendment to the railroad law
will be proposed postponing until
January 1, 1919. the date for the
. severance of relation between the
railroad administrations and the
roads sffat are to be discarded.
Compromise the Best, Thing.
The senators seem to Aaa;nk that
short line problem is a compromise
Undoubtedly some OF these roads will
have to shift for themselves; otil
ers will continue under government
operation and control II was made
plain that the government does not
intend TO operate a short line prop
erty that has been losing money, al
though it expects to render some as
sistance to the discarded lines, This
assistance may come through a fair
division Of freight and passenger
rates and the supply of necessary
transportation equipment
Senator Simmons issued the fol-
lowing statement after the confer
ence:
"a In pursuancesto the arrangement
made by, Senator Simmons with Di-
rector General OF Railroads McAdoo,
Judge Payne met this morning
delegation of southern senator's con-
sisting OF Senator'S Bankhead. I'm
derwood. Simmons, Overman, Ran
dali. Smith. of South Carolina, Smith
Of Georgia and Sheppard, for the
purpose OF discussing the govern
ment's attitude toward short line
railroads.
After q full exchange of views
Judge Payne expressed the opinion
that the proposition made by the
convention of representatives of the
short line railroads would be ac-
eeptable as assolution OF the contro-
versy.
The basis OF this proposition is
that these lines should be taken oyes
= py tne government and operated by
< the company under It's direction
without any guarantee by the gov
.ernment as .ta; compensation. !"
Amend Railroad Act.
In order to CARRY out the arrange
ment. which seems to be satisfactory
all around, II is understood there
: viii have to be slight amendment
to/the railroad act, which 1t is under
stoof. sepator Smith of South Caro-
ss1tpa. chairman OF the senate com
fNtstS on Interstate commerce win
stepce report TO the senate I'm the
form OF a Joint resolution and which
4 is assured can be promptly passed
Senator Hoke Smith. OF Georgia. !.
! Who h14 co-operated IA epdeavoring
kto pgdyent the ''crapping" of the
short }nes ~ the government. made
the slsen 81 81 ! 80 = &c, Cen
haAaas q ]. xxs stnsss,
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