The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1918-01-11
WILSON SUBMITS
RAILROAD PLANS
Declares Seizure MecessaryFor
rehabilitation of Resources.
QUICK ACTION PROMISED
Senate And House, In Joint Session,
Perceive Eiessage-Recommcn
tions Expected To Relieve Con-
gestion OF Traffic.

f
Washington President Wilson lai6
oeiore Congress, assembled in joint
session, his recommendations fol
carrying out Government operation OF
railroads.
Bills to carry out the Presidents
ideas already had been prepared un.
der the supervision of the Department
OF Justice and were Immediately in.
SrOduced with plans for prompt con-
ssideratiOn in both House and Senate.
The Administration bill for Govern
zneDt operation of railroads, proposes
that the Government shall pay COM
rensation at an annual rate as near
AS possible to the net operating in
come for the three years ended June
80. 1917.
The b1ll also would appropriate
S50Al@s0. 900 to be, used as a ''revolv-
Hns FUND" with the excess earnings
OF the roads for the operation of the
law
The FUN text OF the Presidents ad-
dress follows:
@''Gentlemen Of the Congress-: have
'asked the privilege of addressing you
Rng5Edgr GD report to you that, on the
s2Sfh day of December last, during the
eecess of the Congress; acting through
aae Secretary of War and under the
authority conferred upon me by the act
0f Congress approved August 20, 1916,
4 took possession, and assumed con-
troll, of the railway lines of the coun-
try and the systems of water trans
portation under their control. This
Esfep seemed to be imperatively neces-
sary IN the interest of the public well
aaTR, IN the presence of the great tasks
sof war with which we are now deal
ing.
as our own experience develops
Diflcnlties and makes it clear what
+ they<are. have deemed it my duty to
remove those difficulties wherever
HAVE the legal power to do so. To
=assnme control Of the vast railway sys-
TENS uf the country is, realize, a very
areat responsibility, but to fail to do
S0fn the existing circumstances would
hive been much greater. assumed
thc less responsibility rather than the
sveightier
Must Mobilize Resources.
II am sure that am speaking the
mind of all thoughtful Americans when
say that it is our duty as the repre-
.Ss1tatiyes of the nation to do every
lining that it is necessary to do to
secure the complete mobilization of
the whole resources Of America by as
rapid and effective means as can be
fOtaad- Transportation supplies all the
arteries OF mobilization Unless it be
Anaer a single and unified direction the
whole process of the nations action is
embarrassed.
ut was in the true spirit of America,
and it was right, that we should first
ary TO effect the necessary unification
Ai1aer tne voluntary action of those
who we're in charge of the great rail
way properties, and we did try it. The
directors of the railway responded to
the need promptly and generously.
The group of railway executives who
were charged With the task of actual
coordination AMI general direction
performed their. difficult duties with
patriotic zeal and marked ability, as
was to have been expected, and did,
believe. everything that it was possible
for them to do III the circumstances
IF y have taken the task out of t.SeiI
t,nnas. it has not been because OF any
cereliction or failure on their part, but
only because there were some things
switch the government can do and
private management cannot We shall
Eoatinue to value most highly the adj
vice and assistance of these gentle
snan, and am sure we shall not fad
ehesn Withholding it.
Can Get Better Results.
sit had become unmjstakably plain
Shat only under goy@nment admins
tration can the entkfe Equipment of the
several systems/of transportation be
Snliy and unseservedly thrown into 9
common service without injurious dis
! -s-inizzadtion against particular proper
ties. Only under government admin
Sstration can an absolutely unrestrict
ed and unemharrassed common use be
anade of all tracks, terminals. terminal
facilities and equipment of every kind
Only under authority can terminals
be constructed and developed without
regard to the requirements or limita
4io1s of particular roads. But under
ssoVernment administration all these
dhings Will be possible mot instantly
hut as fast as practical difficulties
which cannot be merely coniured
away. give way before the new man
asement
To Retain Employees.
..The common administration will b,
carried out with as little disturbance