The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-01-05
Administration Bill Is Intro
duced in Congress Follow
ing Presidents Message
PRESIDENT DEMANDS
ACTION FOR RELIEF
Explains Need of His Course
and Will Disturb Bust
ness as Little as Possible

Washington, Jan. 5.--The admnistra
ton bill for government operation OF tn
railroads proposed that the government
shall pay compensation at the annua
rate, as near as possible, to the net OPP
Grating income for three years endin,
June 80 last The bill also would APP
propriate S5OOOO0,000 to be used as 1
revolving fund with excess earnings o
the roads for the operation of the law.
With wide appeal for immediate ac
ton in the face of demands for nation
wide relief and elimination of financial
uncertainty, President Wilson at 1880
Yesterday outlined before Congress his
railroad legislative program. The pres
ident's address in full follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress: | have
asked the privilege of addressing you
in order to report TO you that ON the
twenty eighth of December last, during
the recess of the Congress acting through
the secretary of war and under the au-
thority conferred upon me by the act of
Congress approved Aug. %, 1916, | took
possession and assumed control of the
railroad lines of the country and the
systems of water transportation under
their control. This step seemed to be i'm
peratively necessary in the interest of
the public welfare, in the presence OF the
great task of war with which we are
now dealing. As our own experience de-
velops difficulties and makes it clear
what they are, ] have deemed it my duty
TO remove those difficulties wherever
have the legal power to do SO. To as
sumo control of the vast railway sys-
tens of the country is, ! realize, very
great responsibility, but to fail to do so
in the existing circumstances, would
have been greater. 4 assumed the lesser
responsibility rather than the weightier.
! am sure that am speaking the mind
of all thoughtful Americans when l say
that it is our duty az the representa-
tives of the nation to do everything that
it is necessary to do to secure the com
plete mobilization of the whole resources
of America by as rapid and effective
means as can be found. Transportation
supplies all the arteries of mobilization |
Unless it be under a single and unified /
direction, the whole process of the ma
tons action will be embarrassed
1t was in the true spirit of America, |
anu u ID llSub llIbl we SHDulu lllSI Try IOt
effect the necessary unifcation under the |
voluntary action OF those who were in
charge of the great railway properties, |
and we did try it. The directors of the |
railways responded to the need prompt |
ly and generously. The group OF rail
way executives who were charged with
the task of actual coordination and gen
eral direction performed their difficult
duties with patriotic zeal and marked
ability as was to have been expected and
did, | believe, everything that it was
possible for them to do in the circum-
distances. If have taken the task off of
their hands, it is not because of any dere-
LECTION or failure on their nart but only
because there were some things which
he government can do and private man
tgement cannot. We shall continue to
value most highly the advice and as. /
'istance of these gentlemen and | am |
'ure we shall not find them withholding 3
1t has been Enthusiastically plain that {
,nly under government administration I
an the entire equipment of the govern q
mental systems of transportation be e
ully and unreservedly thrown into a
ommon service without injurious dis s
rimination against particular properties.
,nly under government administration r
an an absolutely unrestricted and I'M t
EMBARRASSED common use be made of all | ?
racks, terminals, terminal facilities and
qupment of every kind Only under t
hat authority can new terminals be con n
tructed and developed without regard S
o the requirements or limitations of par o
ocular roads. But under government ad- $
all these things will be Z
ossible not instantly, but as fast as Z
tactical difficulties, which cannot be u
lerely conjured away, give way before o
he new management Il
The common administration will be "
irried out with as little disturbance of u
ne present operating organizations and U
ersonne of the railways as possible.
Nothing will be altered or disturbed VI
hich it is not necessary to disturb. t.
Re are serving the public interest and Il
ifeguarding the public safety, but we g
re also regardful of the interest of those pl
Y whom these great properties are sc
vned and glad to avail ourselves of the e'
m
ia