The Washington herald., 1918-12-02
U. S. OWNERSHIP
OF RAILROADS
WILLCONTINUE
President to Tell Congress
System Cannot Be Un-
scrambled.
NEW DIRECTOR CHOSEN
Announcement tofMcAdoo S
Successor Will Be Made
Today.

President Wilson, in his history
making address to Congress today.
is expected to lift the curtain on
many questions OF paramount ma
tiOnal and international concern,
among the former of which is un-
derstood to be the future of the rail-
roads.
1t was also learned on good au-
thority yesterday that he will also
name a successor to Director Gen
eral McAdOo.
Both announcements are predicted
to hold surprises and to upset most
of the carefully worked out theories
OF what he shall do about the roads.
1t is also asserted in quarters of
the first reliability that there will
be no Clean-out definition of either
. government ownership and control
or of private ownership and control,
= but an announcement that the gov
ernment no longer needs certain
roads for the purpose for which
they were taken over, and that they
may be expected presently to be re-
turned to their owners, on one hand,
and. on the other. that it is prac-
ment to unscrambIe the bulk OF the
unified system under the law which
so directs. except with disaster TO
service and security holders.
President solely Responsible.
II was learned today that the Rail-
road Administration and the Inter
state Commerce Commission have been
busily engaged during the past week
preparing data which is understood to
be for the Presidents use in making
I'D the railroad section of his address.
1t is pointed out that the law makes
the President and no one else directly
responsible for the administration of
the railroads and. therefore, the Presi-
dent will tell Congress his views based
upon his experience to date
This experience. il is declared, so far
as peaCe-time operation is concerned,
IS far too meaEer for the President to
commit himself for or against public
ownership as a definite policy in the
way in which that is generally under
stood.
The announcement, however. is ex-
. pected very greatly to clear the air of
much Of the uncertainty which exists
with respect to the railroads future,
It is understood by those in high Off
cial positions in the government rail-
road administration and particularly
~ one man who for years has been
. close. constant touch with the in
EIDE OF the machinery. that the prob
lem the President will present to Con-
Eress and the country is no simple one,
but vet is definite enough to start the
wheels Of legislation and take the rail-
road question out of the strictly poll
tiCal plane of discussion that has OBJ
tained since the signing of the armis-
tice.
Two Salient Facts.
Two facts are expected to be
pointed out fOrcibIy and plainly,
namely. that the reason for further
government operation of certain
roads passed with the coming of
peace or will pass presently with
the completion of rehabilitation.
and, also, that it is patiently i'm
possible. without disaster to secur-
ity holders and the loss of many
benefits gained through government
operation. 10 turn back the majority
of the roads to their owners as con-
tempIated in the railroad law.
A third fact, which follows as a
cOrOIlary to the second, which the
Il CONTINUED on PAGE TWO.