The Washington herald., 1918-12-12
Declares in Letter to Congress That
Immediate Return to Private Own
ership Is Only Alternative.
DEMANDS A PROMPT DECISION
Director General Says President Is in Entire
Accord with His Views; Anxious to Take
Roads Out of Politics.

Extension of the time of Federal
control over railroads TO five years, or
very early return of the properties to
| their owners. was declared necessary
I yesterday by Director General Of Rail
/ roads McAdoo,
In letter to the chairlnen Of the
two Interstate Commerce committees
Of Congress. Mr.. McAdoo pointed out
| that there are only three possible
courses TO follow at the present time
with respect TO the railroads. asserting
| that IL is manifestly impossible to
frame any comprehensive railroad leg
islation at this session Of Congress.
The first course. he said, is TO oper-
ate the roads for the twenty-one
months following declaration Of peace.
which. he estimated, would not be
more than two years and three
months.
| The next course is the prompt return
Of the roads to their owners
| The last is an extension OF the Pc
Rod OF Federal control TO five years.
The first course is rapidly becoming
| impracticable, he says. The whole
personnel OF the roads is becoming un-
settled by the proposed change OF con-
troll
| Nsrrows Choice TO Two
He therefore reduces the situation
to a choice between return of the
roads promptly to private control with
all existing legal difficulties. or an
extension OF time promptly granted.
The issue is made clear that unless
| Congress grants the extension prompt
ly. the roads will be returned TO their
owners without awaiting the elapse
I nF he
Mr.. McAdoo strongly urges upon
Congress that the extension be ordered
so that test Of unified railroad
operation under proper provisions Of
law may be had
This course. he says. will take the
railroad question out OF politics.
President Wilson. Mr.. McAdoo says,
has given him permission to say that
he is in accord with this view.
''lr my opinion he says. ''ft L the
only practicable and reasonable methoo
OF determining the right solution OF
this grave economic problem"
Continue Pre-War Probe.
Congress will be asked. within the
next day or two, to continue the Joint
committee which began an investiga-
ton Of the railroads before the war.
Senator Smith. of South Carolina
chairman OF the committee, now is
working on a report of the work Of
the committee up to the time Il was
interrupted by the government taking
over the roads. This report will rec
ommend that the investigation be or
dered resumed where it was left of.
, with the view of preparing for sub
mission to Congress a plan for the
solution Of the problem Of what TO
do with the railroads.
Following the statement Of Presi-
dent Wilson, in his address to Con-
Eress on December 2, that he had no
. plan to offer for the solution Of the
problem. sentiment has grown daily
| for a resumption OF the joint investi-
cation.
Text of Letter.
: The letter follows:
The question Of railroad Iegisla-
. tion is of such vital Importance 10
/ the country that / take the liberty,
OF submitting 10 you nv views a.
TO the course that should now he Dur-
sued. The war is ended and We are
now confronted with the necessity ~
either legislating intelligently about
the railroad problem at this session
OF the Congress or Of promptIy re-
turning the railroads TO their owners,
Less than three months Of the
present session of the Congress re-
nam II will be impossible. I pre-
sumo TO secure legislation in this
snort period providing a permanent
solution Of the railroad problem. This
pelng true, only three courses are
open: O Government operation o-
the railroads for one wear and min,
months following a proclamation a,
peace. which would mean. in nv
Judgment, government operation for
a period in no event longer than
. TWO years and three months: C2D The
prompt return Of the railroads to pri-
Nate control: or 90 Extension Of the
period OF Federal control to five
. years
= I am convinced that il is wholly
! lmpracticable. rs well as opposed "a
! the public interest. to ATTEMPT ,o
operate the railroads under the pro-
visions of the present law. In tn.
: first place, the time is too short
and. secondly. the present legiSla-
; tion is Inadequate
l., Two Years too short.
"As to the shortness OF time 4,
Is clear to me that the railroads
cannot be successfully operated un-
der Federal control during the next
two years in the face of an auto
matte transfer to private control a,
the end of that time or Of an earlier
REIMBURSEMENT by proclamation OF
the President. Every month that
passes will bring more clearly "a
the minds of the officers and en-
ployes the fundamental change in
management that is impending, and
the question as TO what that change
. means to the individual 1t is
against human nature that there
can be complete and single-minded ed
attention to duty under such diff
cult circumstances. This will be
especially true on account Of the
inevitable discussion as to what
l ought to be done. Already this dis.
cussion is in full swing and its
reaction on officers and employees
, cannot be consistent with the COM
lplete concentration upon their daily
{ duties. State railroad commissions
$ railroad security holders, railroad
e executives, shippers organizations
and other interests are naturally
Z and properly discussing the subject
and proposing various solutions
= However desirable the discussion II
for the crystalliza tioh Of rHhlt,
. sentiment, II cannot result other.