Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-05
L,C.C.URCES CHANGES
|NRUNN|NG RAIL. WAYS
Annual Report Does Not Commit
Body to Government Control:
Favors Part Direction.
by Associated Press to Every Evening

BY Associated Press to Every Evening
Washington. Dec. 5.-Rcgardless oi
whether railroads finally go back 10 PIT
waite management or remain III the hands
of the government, radical changes should
be made in their methods and theories
OF operation To provide partial merger
inder some sort of government rcguiatlon'
tho Interstate Commerce COMMISSION
SAYS in its annual report made publlc
TODAY
The Commission believes the time is
not ripe to recommend concrete proposals
for legislation relating to future policies
toward railroads, but says whatever hc
the nations decision, there should he
provision for complete uniicatIon ol the
RAILWAYS in war time partial merger IN
ordinary times. limitation OF railway
construction to public necessity, and
systematic encouragement of the de-
velopment of inland Waterways, and
their coordination with rail carriers.
In other words. the Commission is
opposed To restoration of the old con-
dltions of individual competition. IN which
noolinC of traffic was forbidden hv law.
and TO The building of new lines without
proof to the government that they are
economically necessary
Ii it is finally decided to restore rail-
roads 10 private management, SAYS the
Commission. there should be legislation
to permit their co-opcration,Cmn emancipation
Of railway operation from financial dicta-
tion. government regulation ui security
issues; clearing away nt the existing tWi-
light zone between the authority Of state
and federal authorities IN railroad super
vision; efficient usc ot equipment and
s,t *
On the other hand, if the pnlicvof gov
ernlncnt ownership should he adopted.
The principal questions to be considered
are. The price to he paid for he roads.
means OF preventing the railroads from
being made sources of revenue To the
government, and also to MAINTAIN thcm
As sclf-supportlng; measures 10 define
carefully the responsibility OF the railwaN
administration to Congress and Other
federal and state authorities: guarantees,
against intrusion n1 art san politics INTO
railway management, .,nd creation oi
tribunal To settlement OF controversies
over railroad matters.
Some sort OF government regulation
is suggested by the Commission ~ CON
necti0n with each OF the FIVE alternatives
OF future policy which MAY bc ~; forth hy
different interests in the pral future
Tlrst alternative are: Confirmation of
tho pI,se system ri government enu-
troll wit., private ownership, public oWncr-
ship with private operation, y ivate on "a
Il with government regulations and
guarantees, com plctc private control
nd ownership and complete public owcnr-
hip and ope:ationy
Tho rcport deals at length with tho un-
hcaya of railroad relations caused hv the
war and the government 5 assumption
II operation, ard the relations 81 the
Interstate Commerce Commission 70
Director General Meade and the ra.I-
road admnlstratio The Commission
has co-,pertted fully with the government
Management, saws the report. hut thr Com
mission still retains its authority t0 re-
view rates inltiatcdhy Director General
Railroad valuation work of the Com
m tsslon. which will become of great im-
portancc in case of government purchase
Is proceeding with little IntcrcscSt ON |
account OF The war. Safety work has been
assumed partly ty the railroad admins
tratiOn hut educational work Is being
continued throughout the country The
Commission IN the last year has made
great strides n seeking 10 promote uniform
rate claSSlhCat IONS and has undertaken
! number Of other Investigations Of rates
and practices.
The report. including the statement con-
corning future policies toward railroads,
* signed by all the commissioners cNccpt
George W Anderson, who recently re-
signed to accept another federal appoint
mcnt Others are. Winthrop VI Danlcls,
chairman; Edgar T.. Clark, James ;.
Harlan. Charles G. NcCho-d, Balthasar
H Meyer, Henry G Hall, Clvdc b
Aitchison and Rohcrt " Noolcy
The Commission statement on the
future OF the railroads follows