The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-10
RAILROADS MAY NOT
REVERT To OWNERS
At CLOSE Of WAR
Author OF Bill. Makes Flat De-
claration That Such Is PUP
Pose Of Administration

Washington. Jan. s.-President
Wilson gave notice to congress this
afternoon through Senator James
Hamilton Lewis. OF Illinois, Democrat
10 whip OF the senate, that he looks
for prompt action on the railroad
legislation.
Following hts conference with the
President. Senator Lewis said;
The president is anxious 10 have
fastened the railroad bill through
which we take possession of the rail-
roads. The president is DESTROYS that
the people shall know exactly what
obligations are 70 be borne by them
and that the railroads should know
what their duties are to the govern
ment. and what duties the officials of
the government are to assume"
The government viii hold the rail"
roads for an indefinite period after
the end of the war. Flat declaration
by the author OF the railroad control
bill. George w Anderson, of the in
terstate commerce commission, that
this is the administration purpose.
divided attention today with BIT
ter fight over the question of railroad
compensation.
Commissioner Anderson made this
statement before the house committee
on interstate and foreign committee
commerce. AT ten other end of the
capitol before the senate interstate
commerce committee. George M
Shriver, vice -rresfdaSt Of the Baiti-
more and Ohio railroad. Tilted with
Senators Cummins Underwood and
others over compensation.
A fat. lump OF 6 per cent on the
earnings OF all the roads to he pro-
rated among the roads. as thew de-
served-Shriver stated. would be the
best method of compensation the Gov
eminent could ADOPT This sOT~estfon,
which he said he made on his own
authority and not for the roads gen.
orally, was the first advanced con-
trary to the government plan OF a
thr~e-year average.
Shriver then declared that In the
case of the Baltimore and Ohio the
government would under its own plan
nav $2sf o4 600 annually. or at tho
rate of 4s3 rer cent on earn'n~s
This ohviouslv. he said. was 10" small
a return. Six Ter ceUt. he thought,
was fair ave~ave return.
1--WE are GENERATING the roads for the
GOOD OF the country Senator TummtHe
retorted "whv should we nav them
more than we paw ord'nar" p@ople
who helm the roverrrNent on its loa ms
at only 4. 'per cent?"
Most roads norrral'v earn NOR"
than rer cent. Sh~iver answered.
and he thou~ht 1t only fair that they
should he permitted to maintain Their
usual earnings SSr'Vcr, with Julius
Rruttschnitt of the Southern Pacific
and Judge Alfred p Thom. reiiroa is
executive council emrh asi7es the ors,-
ion that the government nlan X COM
nensat,on Is entirely inadequate
Senator Cuwmins declared that no
matter on what hasis the three-vear
plan In arranged The roads will s'il'
eyct about 5000 600 600 wear more
than thev deserve Shrsver tesffe q
~, .>o-a,,tors among the roads north
OF the Ohio river and east OF the Mis-
sissippi.
- Two Southern Democrats on the
house committee Montague, OF Vtr-
ginia. and Ravhurn, OF Texas, ar~ued
with Commissioner Anderson that a
ae~n'tn date should be set for the re-
turn ne the roads to their owners
And insisted that this date
be left to the discretion OF con-