The sun., 1918-11-26
WANTS RAILROADS
RETURNED AT ONCE
Samuel Untermyer Says Then
People Could Decide as to
Public 0wnership. H..
STOP uN1FYINa SYSTEM
Demands That Government
Redeem Promises Re-
garding Control

Runors that ne appointment OF Emu
Root - advisory counsel 20 ms National
Association Of owners OF Railroad
a.uur,tiss foreshaaowed ths early re-
,irement Of Samuel Unter1nyer as senior
r,neraI counsel were set at rest yester-
day at least for the moment by a 1000
word statement issued by Mr.. Inter
,nyer The Immediate tasks to which
the association is about 70 appiy ITSELF"
he said, ARE threefold.
81 To put a stop to the furti,er carry
ing out OF the far reaching programme
for unifylng tho railroad systems OF the
country on which the Railroad Admin
istraGon has embarked and which in
wolves expenditures and credits of many
hundreds OF millions Of dollars belong
ing 10 the security holders, which the
roads do not need under private owner
ship and for which many OF them can
not afford to pay.
20. To halt the diversion OF traffic ana
abandonment OF roads and parts OF
roads Incidental TO the process of
vnihcation and Acknowledgement. so that
4 may remain possible to return the
roads as Congress intended.
"S. To secure their prompt return TO
their owners as nearly intact as possible
and in a financial condition that will not
force them into bankruptcy as the re-
suit OF expenditures made by the Rail-
road Administration at the expense of
the roads and without their consent
II realize that there are grave diff
ferences Of opinion among patriotic
men as to the wisdom OF the policy
Of Government ownership and that
. TIE people should be granted the op-
portunity to pass squarely on the ques-
ton after tho status quo that existed
prior to the war has been fully re-
stored and any action taken by the
Railroad Administration that would
tend TO embarrass this FREQ choice by
tho people between Government owner
ship and private ownership should be
discouraged, and II possible. prevented.
Thus Ear little .ireparable harm has
been done in the way OF unification and
obliteration of the identities OF the
roads. but unless the comprehensive pro-
gramme that has been outlined Is stopped
now. the opportunity of the people for
a free expression OF their decision Will
he greatly handicapped and the roads
will he forced into Government owner
ship 10 prevent a condition OF bank
ruptcy due TO Government action on al
most any terms that Congress may de-
.ernine to impose, regardless Of the
true value OF the properties and without
Just compensation.
No advocate OF fair play regardless
o! his economic views on Government
ownership, wants to see such a result.
and / am in hearty accord with the de-
termination Of the association to secure
the immediate return OF the properties
. tAeir private owners, and to prevent
thelr being taken without Just compeu-
salon for their use during Federal con-
= uei The dictates ef common honesty
require that the promise OF the Govern.
nent be now redeemed. II, after that.
The Government decides to acquire the
properties by the orderly Constitutional
process Of iast compensation and the
people approve. that viii be another
story, We will cross that bridge when
We come to !. The duty OF the hour
is 70 stop dismemberment and emas-
cuiaon of the properties and to return
them 10 their owners"
Railroads Chaotic, Say InyeStor.
BosToN. Nov, 25.--The holding of spe-
cal hearings before joint committee
VI congress in connection with the re-
'afh OF the transportation systems of the
country TO private management and op-
GRAFTON is urged in an open letter issued
'o-day by the Investors Protective Assoc
cation OF America, of which Nathan L.
Amster OF this city is president The
ietter Ia addressed to congressman. It
says that the recent proposal of a rail-
road security owners organization and
te National Association Of State Rail-
way Commissioners for the immediate
p return OF the railroads to private man
sHenent would be contrary TO the i'm
pied intent and purpose OF Congress in
~
70 twenty-one months following the con-
eiusion OF the war"
Continuing the letter says:
The present condition o: the railroad
world Is chaotic. 1t would be calamitous
20 drop Federal control and return to
FORMER conditions without taking the
necessary steps for the removal OF the
eVils which contributed to the unfortu-
nate history OF railroad management and
operation prior to the assumption OF Fed
eral control"