The sun., 1918-12-12
DISASTER IS FACING
ROADS, SAYS M'ADOO
Continued from First Page.

the present control is inadequate and
In some respects impotent. He calls
attention to the fact that authority
Is divided between a State and Fed
eral Governments and that friction be-
tween them Is becoming acute, while
the present railroad administration
cannotenforce the making OF improve
ments and betterments without the
consent OF the railroad corporations
concerned.
II Is manifest, the Director General
declares. that terminal and other i'm
provements, If offered with a view to
the pubic benefit, will work against
the beS. Interests OF particular roads
and will A1ot find favor with these
roads.
Views Presented in Letters.
The Director Generals views are
presented in duplicate letters sent to
Senator Ellison d. Smith Is. d.,
chat. man Of the Senate Commerce
Committee, and Representative Thetus
W. Sims (Tenn.), chairman OF the
House Committee on Interstate and
Foreign Commerce. The text follows:
The question of railroad legislation
Is of such vital Importance to the
country that take the liberty of sub
uniting to you my views as to the
course that should now be pursued.
The war Is ended and we are now con-
fronted with the necessity either Of
lcgislating intelligently about the rail-
road problem at this session of the
Congress or OF promptly returning the
railroads to their owners.
Less than three months of the pres
ent session Of the Congress remain. 1t
will be impossible. presume, to secure
legislation in this short period provid-
ing permanent solution Of the rail-
road problem. This being true only
three courses are open: % Govern
ment operation Of the railroads for one
year and nine months following a
proclamation Of peace. which would
mean. in my judgment, Government
operation for a period In no event
longer than two years and three
months: (2) the prompt return Of the
railroads to private control: or so en-
tension of tho period of Federal con-
troll TO five years.
81 am convinced that II is wholly
jmpracticable as well ms opposed to the
public interest to attempt to operate
the roads under the provisions OF the
present law. In the first place, the
time is too short and secondly, the
present legislation is inadequate.
DisconcertinE Feature.
"As to the shortness of time it is
fn mo Gat hn lo
be successfully operated under Fed
era control during the next two years
in the face OF an automatic transfer
TO private control at the end of that
time or OF an earlier REIMBURSEMENT
! by proclamation of the President.
Every month that passes will bring
more clearly to the minds OF the off,
GERS and employees the fundamental
change in management that is impend-
| ing and the question as to what that
change means to the individual. 1t is
against human nature that there can
be complete and single minded atten-
ton TO duty under such difficult cir
cumstances.
This will be especially true on ac-
count of the inevitable discussion as
10 what ought to be done. Already
this discussion is in full swing and its
reaction on officers and employees
cannot be consistent with the COM
plete concentration upon their daily
duties. State railroad commissions.
railroad security holders. railroad ex-
ecutives, shippers organizations and
other interests are naturally and
properly discussing the subject and
| proposing various solutions.
However desirable the discussion is
| for the specialization of public senti-
ment it cannot result otherwise than
to produce a state of uncertainty and
| ferment among the vast army OF rail
road officers and employees who will
I inevitably feel that they face a rapid
| ly approaching change in mana cement.
! No business in the United States
so ipperauvely requires disciplined or
ganiZat.on and composed conditions OF
| operation for officers as we'll as for en-
! ployees as the railroad business. Not
only does the safety of the lives of mil
| lions OF passengers depend upon such
discipline and efficient organiza ton,
but the commerce OF tho country as
well.
Harmfulneaa Of I'ureaf