The Benson signal., 1918-01-12
WILSON ASKS FOR
HALF BILLION FUND
President Lays Before Congress
His Recommendations for Car
rying Out Railroad Plans.
GUARANTEE DEMANDED
Special Stress Laid on Justice
Being Done to Roads and
Their Stockholders.
Western Newspaper Union News Service.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Washington, Jan. 5.-President Will
son Friday laid before Congress, as
sembled in joint session, his recon-
mendations for carrying out govern
ment operation of railroads. Bills to
carry out the Presidents ideas already
had been prepared under the super
vision of the Department of Justice
and Immediately were introduced with
plans for prompt consideration in both
House and Senate.
To provide for proper maintenance
of the roads and their return to own
ers in the same order as the govern
ment takes them over, the President
recommended legislation to authorize
their upkeep and betterment during
the period of federal operation. Leg
islation to this effect is all contained
in the administration bills which
would appropriate $500,O00,000 fund
for government operation.
Text of Presidents Address.
The text of President Wilson's
speech to Congress follows:
OCAIICLuSA VI I10 SOAS1 Soo. AoSS
asked the privilege Of addressing you
in order to report that on the 28th OF
December last, during the recess of
Congress, acting through the secre-
tary of war, and under the authority
conferred upon me by the act of Con-
gress approved Aug. 20, 1916, I took
possession and assumed control of the
railway lines of the country and the
systems of water transportation under
their control. This step seemed to be
imperatively necessary in the interest
of the public welfare, in the presence
of the great tasks of war with which
we are now dealing AS our expert
ence develops difficulties and makes
it clear what they are, have deemed
it my duty to remove these difficulties
wherever I have the legal power to
do so. To assume control of the vast
railway systems of the country, I re-
alize a very heavy responsibility, but
to fail to do so in the existing circum-
stances would have been a much
greater. I assumed the less RESPONSE
bility rather than the weightier.
Arteries of the Army.
I am sure that I am speaking the
mind of all thoughtful Americans
when say that it is our duty as the
representatives of the nation to do
everything 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 found. Transportation supplies all
the arteries Of mobilization. Unless it
be under single and unified direc-
ton, the whole process Of the nations
action is embarrassed.
It was in the true spirit Of America
and it was right that we should first
try to effect the necessary unifica-
tion under the voluntary action of
those who were in charge of the great
railway properties, and we did try it.
The directors of the railroads respond
ed to the need promptly and gener-
ously.
Praises Executives.
The group of railway executives
who were charged with the task of
actual coordination and general direc-
ton performed their task with patri-
otic zeal and marked ability, as was
to have been expected, and did, be-
lieve, everything that it was possible
for them to do in the circumstances.
If have taken the task out of their
hands, it has not been because of any
dereliction or failure on their part,
but only because there were some
things which the government can do
and present management cannot. We
shall continue tn value most highly
the advice and assistance of these gen.
tlemen, and I am sure we shall not
find them Withholding it.
It had become Enthusiastically
plain that only under government
administration can the entire equip
ment of the several systems of trans
pOrtatiOn be fully and unreservedly
thrown into common service without
injurious discrimination against par
ticular properties and urembarrased
common use be made of all tracks,
terminals, terminal facilities and
equipment of every kind.
No Big Shakeup.
Only under that authority can new
terminals be constructed and devel-
oped without regard to the require
ments or limitations of particular
roads. But under government ad-
ministration all these things will be
possible-not instantly, but as fast
as practical difficulties, which cannot
be merely conjured away, give way
before the new managem ent.
The common administration will
be carried out with as little disturb
ance of the present operating organ
izations and personnel Of the rail-
ways as possible.
Nothing will be altered or dis