River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-01-10
Wilson Asks SOIOnS
For Legislation For
Control of Railroads

Congress, assembled in joint session,
his recommendations for carrying out
government operation of railroads.
Bills to carry out the Presidents
ideas already had been prepared I'M
der the supervision Of the Department
Of Justice and were Immediately intro
duced with plans for prompt consider
alton in both House and Senate.
The President spoke as follows:
Gentlemen of the congress-
| have asked the privilege OF ad'
dressing you in order to report that
on the 28th day of December last
during the recess of congress, lasting
through the secretary of war and I'M
der the authority conferred upon me
by the act Of congress approved Aug.
%, 1916, / took possession and as
sumed control of the railway lines
of the country and the systems OF
water transportation under their con-
troll. This step seemed to be impera-
lively 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 experience develops diff
culties and makes it clear wat they
are, | have deemed it my duty to
remove those difficulties wherever l
have the legal power to do so. To
assume control of the vast railway
systems of the country is, l realize,
a very heavy responsibility, but to
fail to do so in the existing circum-
stances would have been a much
greater. | assumed the less RESPONSE
bility rather than the Weightier.
Must Mobilize Resources.
] am sure that / am speaking the
mind of all thoughtful Americans
when / say that it is our duty 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 means as
can be found. Transportation sup
plies all the arteries of mobilization.
Unless it be under single and uni
fed direction the whole process of the
nations action is embarrassed. 1t
was in the true spirit of America and
it was right, that we should first try
to effect the necessary unification
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 respond
ed to the need promptly and gener-
ously. The group of railway eXecu-
tives who were charged with the
task of actual coordination and gen
eral direction performed their diff
cult duties with patriotic zeal and
marked ability, as was to have been
expected, and did, / believe, every
thing that it was possible for them
to do in the circumstances.
If lave taken the task out of their
hands it has not been because Of
any dereliction or failure on their
part, but only because there were
some things which the government
can do and the present management
cannot We shall continue to value
most highly the advice and assist
ance of these gentlemen and l am
sure we shall not find them with
holding it.
Government Control Only Solution.
1t had become enthusiastically plain
that only under government admins
tratiOn can the entire equipment of
the several systems of transporta-
ton be fully and unreservedly thrown
into a common service without in
furious discrimination against par
ticular properties. Only under gov
eminent administration can an abso-
1utely unrestricted and unembar-
raised common use be made of all
tracks, terminals, terminal facilities
and equipment of every kind. Only
under that authority can new term
inals be constructed and developed
without regard to the requirements
or limitations of particular roads.
But under the government all these
things will be possible-not instantly.
but as fast as practical difficulties,
which cannot be merely conjured away
give way before the new management.
The common administration will be
carried out with as little disturbance
of present operating organizations and
personnel of the railways as possible.
Nothing will be altered or disturbed
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 great properties
are owned and glad to avail ourselves
of the experience and trained ability
of those who have been managing
them.
War Traffic First Consideration.
It is necessary that the transporta-
ton of troops and of war materials, of
food and of fuel, and of everything
that is necessary for the full mobiliza-
ton of the energies and resources of
the country should be first considered,
but it is clearly in the public interest
also that the ordinary activities and
the normal Industrial and commercial
life of the country should be interfered
with and dislocated as little as pos
~~~-~~~~~~~~-e~~-~~ S~o~-~-~0~--~~~~-~-e-~~