The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-12-27

W 1uNlJc tAAc dJtcuJlOn VI Vic oSitoe<
| to this proposition, which ought to bt
taken up by our committee and by
Congress at once. This is what Mr.
McAdoo said in his letter:
The war is ended and we are now
confronted with the necessity either Of
llegislating intelligently about the rail
road problem at this session OF the
Congress or of promptly returning
the railroads to their owners.
Then he proceeds to say IN the let.
ter that there is no time to legislate
at this session of Congress, and that
therefore there should be five years
extension of the period. He says fur
Their, in substance, that unless that
fve-year period is granted the rail.
roads should be turned back at once.
Mr.. President, the railroads were
taken over presumably by the Gov
ernment---that was the statement
made-for war purposes. 1t was de-
MED at that time that'they were taken
over to make q test of Government
ownership, Now Mr.. McAdoo says we
want five years to make a test. A
test for what purpose? Not a test for
war purposes, but a test for Govern
ment ownership. That is the real bot
tom of the whole thing.
Mr.. President, why legislate at this
particular three months session? He
says we must have the legislation at
this three months session or we must
have an extension. Why not an extra
session of Congress? We have had
extra sessions after each session for
years, and Congress has been in al
most continuous session. Why, with
all the important legislation that is
coming before the country at the con-
clusion of peace, including the rail
roads, should we not have an extra
session Of Congress after the 4th of
March to consider this subject, which
Mr.. McAdoo says must be considered
in the next three months or not at all
for five years? should like to know
why.
Mr.. President, why not be frank :?
Many of us, or at least some Of US,
thought that the railroads were taken
over for the purpose of inaugurating
Government ownership. 1t was stat
ed, however, that it was a necessity
during the war. l, for one, have not
condemned the administration of the
railroads. l have done everything in
my power to make it success. Ibid
believe that it was the first step to-
ward establishing in this country Gov
eminent ownership, and the taking
over of the telegraph and the telephone
and the cable for war necessities af-
ter the war was over rather confirmed
me in my Judgment on that subject.
But, Mr.. President, we have FL
months after the close of the war,
which will be considerably over two
years, yet to pass a railroad bill pro-
viding for complete Federal control
and turning the property back to the
owners or else deciding in favor of
Government ownership. ss 800 49, 49,
Now, why not meet the issue fraffll-
ly and fairly? j believe the reason
why they do not wish to meet it now
is that they know the people Of this
country are not in favor of Govern
ment ownership, and it is proposed to
put Government ownership over
under the guise of an extension to
make a test of Government control
for the period of five years. Congress
deliberately acted upon this subject
last winter and fixed 81 months as the
period within which legislation might
be had for the proper control of the
railroads when they are turned back,
and I see no reason why we should
now change that Fl months.
Mr.. President, know of no reason
why we should not proceed at once
with this very important question and
why we should not frame bill dur
ing this session, and if it can not be
passed in three months, know of
no reason why there should not be an
extra session or why it should not be
passed at the next session of Con-
gress. We have ample time for this
legislation before the FL months ex-
pire. But Mr.. McAdoo says the pres
emit legislation is entirely inadequate
for the operation from now to the end
of the Fl months. He does not sug-
gest in what it is inadequate. He has
not been to Congress to ask for legis-
lation to cure the defects in the. act.
He says that there is dispute about
the authority Of the States and the |
Federal Government. say absolutely
that the Federal Government has not |
recognized any State authority what !
ever, but it controlled the railroads
absolutely as the Director General
saw fit, without regard to State COM
missions. am not complaining of it;
am merely stating it is q fact.
Mr. President, as said before, am
not here to criticize the Railroad Ad-
The railroads were
earning about $4,000, 00O, 900 per an
,um whep the Government took them
,ver. The rates have been increased
about 20 per cent, adding at least a
billion dollars to the charges the pub
ic has to pay, and am told that this