The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-24
FORNEY JOHNSTON
 ON ADVISORY BODY | FOR THE RAILROADS
Owners of Railroad Securi- ties Are Taking Steps to Protect Their Interests
 in the Future

New York, November 22-(Special) Prominent lawyers, headed by Ex-sena- tor Elihu Root, were named as advis- ory counsel to the National Association of owners of railroad securities, by the executive committee at meeting held today at the Recess club. 50 Broadway, New York. Luther M. Walter. assistant director, public service and accounting, United States railroad administration, be- comes one of general counsel
 The lawyers who will serve with MT. Root are John c. Milburn, New York John s. Miller, Chicago; Forney John- ston, Birmingham, Ala, and Hugh l.. Bond Baltimore.
 The chairman of the executive commit tee, S. Davies Warfield and president of the association, in announcing the advisory counsel made the following statement:
 This action by the committee is the result of meetings heretofore held in re- lation to the return of the railroads un- der the federal control act, which pro- vides not only for their operation by the government during the period of the war, but also that they shall be returned within a reasonable time thereafter, giv- ing as the maximum 21 months.
 'The war has ended, the objects for which the railroads are now to be oper- ated is a matter of considerable concern to the millions of people who own or are interested in their securities, as it Is also to shippers, the travelling public and to the country.
 ''The methods employed by the rail- road administration up to this time may be contended to have been necessary for the purposes of war. What is done from now on, however, must be taken as in +dicatfng the railroad policy of the ad- ministrat tion; is it proposed to carry out the intention of the Congress as ex- pressed in the federal control act, and return them within reasonable time, with each railroad, in the wording of the act, in substantially as complete eauipment as it was at the beginning of federal control or is it intended to use them for laying the foundation for Xpermanent government control and oper- ation under such plans as the present railroad administration may desire and as the forerunner of government owner ship.
 'aThe Congress made no provision in the act for any such use of them, on the contrary it specifically provides for their return.
 'There is first to be decided the time Of such return of the railroads. The 21 months was not allowed by the Con- greSS TOT tnelr expioltatlon. It was given in order that their affairs might be ad- justed for their return. Under the policy now being pursued charges incident to so-called unification are piling up against them, very difficult for them to repay. The policy in force Is destructive of their individual credit. Furthermore, present conditions cannot continue without ob- liberation of railroads as individual go- ing concerns. If they are to be re- turned as going concerns, as the Congress by act intended, and provided that they should be, this cannot be carried out under methods which are destructive of the very facilities which have been built up by the expenditure of millions of