The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-12-05
NOW CONSIDERED BY
 COMMISSION

| In dealing with the question of what may be done with the railroads in the future, the Interstate Com merce Commission in its annual re- port to the Congress today says:
 '"The conditions, without precedent or parallel, which the war has pro- duced now press upon the Congress matters of the gravest national and international concern.
 While we do not deem the present conditions and moment Dpportune in which to recommend concrete pro posals for legislation, we may indi- cate certain lines of inquiry which
 must be pursued in order to reach sound conclusions.
 Whatever line of policy IS deter
 mined upon, the fundamental aim or purpose should be to secure trans
 portat3on systems that will be ade-
 quate for the nations needs even in
 time of national stress or peril and
 that will furnish to the public safe,
 adequate, and efficient transportation at the lowest cost consistent with that Iservtce. To this end there should be provision Dor CD the prompt merger without friction of all the carriers Hines, facilities, and organizations into
 a continental and unified system in
 time of strees or emergency; @ mer-
 ger within p1oper limits of the car
 riers' lines and facilities in such part and to such extent as may be neces-
 sary in the general public interest to
 meet the reasonable demands of our
 domestic and foreign commerce.; (3) limitation of railway construction to the necessities and convenience of the : government and of the public, and assuring construction to the point of - these limitations; and (D development . and encouragement of inland water 2 ways and coordination of rail and water transportation systems.
 Among the plans which doubtless will be proposed are the following: 7 CD Continuance of the present plan ] of federal control; @ public owner ship Of carrier property with private operation under regulation; (3) pri- 5 vate operation under regulation with governmental guarantees; (4) resump- ton of private control and manage
 ment under regulation; and (5) pub
 lie ownership and operation. Addi-
 ttonal plans and notifications or con-
 binations of those enumerated might
 be listed.
 = If the policy of private ownership
 and operation under regulation is ;, Icontinued. the following subjects will ' require legislative consideration: Q)
 Revist of limitations upon united or Cooperative activities among common carriers by rail or by water; CD eman- 5 ctpation of railway operation from D financial dictation; (3) regulation of s issues of securities; (4) establishment y of a relationship between Federal and 'l State authority which will eliminate e the twilight zone of Jurisdiction and t tunder which harmonious rate struc- l yture and adequate service can be se- f cured, state and interstate; (5) re- @ strtctaons governing the treatment of competitive as compared with non e competitive traffic; (6) the most eff1- $ ic1ent utilization of equipment and = provision for distributing the burden 1t of furnishing equipment on an equit- l. able basis among the respective car , Tier; CD a more liberal use of ter if minal facilities in the interest of free at movement of commerce; and (S) lim- l. itations within which common carrier if facilities and services may be fur
 nished by shippers or receivers of
 freight
 ,1 Should the policy of public owner | ship and operation be adopted, there
 must be considered: Q) The just and fair price at which, and the terms un- der which carrier properties are tc 'e be acquired; @ prohibiting the bp- or erattdn of railways as a fiscal con- l. trtvance, insuring their administration l. in the interests of the convenience 7; and commerce of the people, requir- s; ing that they shall be self-suprDrting le and that their rates shall be properly ct related to the ascertained cost of ser.
 vice, and retaining and extending the
 economies and advantages of large
 scale production in transportation; (3'
 responsibility and relationship of the
 railway administration to Congress
 and other Federal authorities and tc
 the states; 4) guarding against the
 intrusion of party politics into rail
 way management; (5) a status fo
 railway officers and employees under N which the railway service will attrac z and retain the best talent; and (6
 maintenance of a tribunal for the de
 termination of controversies whicI
 will inevitably arise even under pub ce lie operation.
 - The above outline is mere emu
 merat1on of some important points t A. De considered. We will at an appro of prtate time report to Congress sucI IF informatio suggestions or recon
 mendat1ons as we believe may be O y assistance in solving the many ant
 difficult transportation pIOblems''