The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-12-05
Whether Railroads Return
Ito Private Ownership
ID or Not
COMMERCE BOARD s.
MAKES Ifs REPORT
Not Ripe for Recommendation Of
Concrete Proposals for Legislation
Relating to Future Policy.

WASHINGTON, Dec 5.-Regardless oil
whether railroads finally go back to PM
waite management or remain in the hands
OF the government, radical changes should
be made in their methods and theories vi
operation to9proyidT a partial merger nm
der some sort of government regulation,
the intelYtate commerce commission says
in its annual report made public to-day
The commission believes the time Is not
ripe to recommend concrete proposals for.
| legislation relating to the future policy to-
ward railroads, but says whatever be the
nation : decision there should be provision
| for complete unificati0n of the railways in
| wartime, partial merger in ordinary times,
| limitation Of railway construction to public
! necessity, and systematic encouragement ot
the development OF inland waterways, and
| their coordination with rail carriers
In other words, the commission is OPP
posed to restoration of the old conditions
OF individual competition. in which pool
| ing Of traffic was forbidden hy law, and 10
/ the building OF new lines without proof 70
the government that they are economical
| " necessary.
!
roads to private Management says the com
mission, there should be legislation To per
NIT their cooperation emancipation oil
railway operation from financial dictation,
government regulation Of security issues:
clearing away OF tho existing twilight zone
between the authority Of state and federal
authorities IN railroad supervision; efficient
use OF equipment aud common use Of term
mails
II On the t,ther hand. if the policy Of GOV
ernmcnt ownership should be adopted. the
, principal questions to be considered are
, The price to be paid fof the roads; mean,
! OF preventing the railroads from being
made sources of revenue to the govern
ment. and also to maintain them Is sell
supporting; measures to define CAREFUL!
the responsibility Of the railway admins
tration to congress and other federal an,
state authorities: guarantees against nir
sion OF partisan politics into railway man
aeenent, aud creation al a tribunal t
effect settlement 81 controversies owe
;. railroad matters
Some sort OF government regulation
! suggested by the commission in connection
\ with each of the FIVE alternatives OF fl
ture policy which may be set forth b
i different interests in the near futur,
q These alternatives arc: Continuation G
I the present system oil government oontrs
q with private ownership, public OWNERSHIP
y with private operation. private operatR
Il with government regulation and guarar
3 tees, complete private control and owner
q ship and complete public ownership an
3 operation.
The report deals a; length with the vi
b T. o,-oI ~ iipaa1 Yao,, Ia if,..., pauSa1
i the war and the governments assumptio
B of operation, and the relations OF the II
3 terstate commerce commission to Direct
B General McAdoo and tho railroad admit
d is;ration The commission has cooperate
h fully with the government management
y SAYS the report, hut the commission sti
n retains its authority to review rates il
h stated hy the director general
n Railroad valuation work Of the commi
3 sion. which will become Of great impo
lance in case Of government purchase.
\ proceeding with little interference on a
count OF the war. Safety work has bee
assumed partly by the railroad admin
q tration but educational work is being Co
h tinued throughout the country. The cor
mission in the last year has made gre
strides in seeking to promote uniform ra
h classfications. and has undertaken nun
q Der Of other Investigations Of rates al
a practices
a The report, including the statement co
& corning future policies toward railroad
n is signed b. all the commissioners, exec
n George w Anderson. who recently I
signed to accept another federal appoiI
H ment Others are: Winthrop NJ. DAME
chairman; Edgar T. Clark. James s. H.
b Ian. Charles G. MeChord, Balthasar
n Never, Henry c. HAIL. Clyde b. Atchis
II and Robert w Wooley.