The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1918-01-10

tion Introduced In Both Houses and
Will Be Given Prompt considera-
tion-Step Is Deemed Necessary.
Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Washington.-President Wilson laid
before Congress his recommendation
for carrying out Government opera
tion of railroads. Bills to carry out
the Presidents ideas already had been
prepared under the supervision of the
Department of Justice and were imme-
diately introduced with plans for
prompt consideration in both House
and Senate. The bills will appropriate
$500 100000 to be used as a "revolv-
ing" fund with the excess earnings of
the roads for the operation of the law.
To guarantee proper returns to the
roads during the period of Govern
ment operation the President recon-
mended that Congress provide CON-
pensation at the rate of the same net
operating income as the roads have
received for the three preceding fiscal
years. To provide for proper mainte-
nance Of the roads and their return to
owners in the same order as the Gov.
ernment takes them over, the Presi.
dent recommended legislation to au.
thorize their upkeep and betterment
during the period of Federal opera
ton.
Only by Government operation, the
President told Congress, could the
unity necessary to the country be OBJ
tanned, and he added that existing or
ganizations of the railroads should be
disturbed as little as possible.
The President spoke as follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress: l
have asked the privilege of address,
ing you in order to report that on the
28th of December last, during the re.
cess of Congress, acting through the
Secretary of War and under the au-
thority conferred upon me by the act
of Congress approved August 29, 1916,
l took possession and assumed con.
troll of the railway lines of the coun-
try and the systems of water trans.
portation under their control. This
step seemed to be imperatively neces-
sary in the interest of the public well
fare, in the presence of the great tasks
of war with which we are now deal
ing. AS our experience develops diff.
cuities and makes it clear what they
are, l have deemed it my duty to re-
move those difficulties wherever l
have the legal power to do so.
ITO assume control Of the vast rail-
way systems of the country, is, real
ize, very great responsibility, but to
fail to do so in the existing circum-
stances would have been much gYeat.
er. | assumed the less responsibility
rather than the weightier.
Must Mobilize Resources.
Il am sure that l am speaking the
mind of all thoughtful Americans when
{ say that it is our duty as the repre-
sentatives of the nation to do every
thing that it is necessary to do to Sc
cure the complete 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 single and unified direc-
tion, the whole process of the nations
action is embarrassed.
ut was in the true spirit of Amer
lea, and it was right, that we should
first try to effect the necessary unfit
cation 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 respond.
ed to the need promptly and gener-
Ously. The group of railway execu-
tiVes, who were charged with the task
of actual coordination and general di-
rection, performed their difficult duties
with patriotic zeal and marked ability,
as was to have been expected, and did,
believe, everything that it was pos
sible for them to do in the circum-
stances. If have taken the task out
of their hands, it has not been because
of any dereliction or failure on their
part, but only because there were
some things which the Government
can do and private management can
not. We shall continue to value most
highly the advice and assistance OF
these gentlemen and l am sure. we
shall not find them Withholding it.
ut had become unmistakably plain
that only under Government admins
the several systems of transportation
be fully and unreservedly thrown into
q common service without injurious
discrimination against particular prop
critics. Only under Government ad-
ministration can an absolutely unre-
stricted and unembarrassed common
use be made of all tracks, terminals,
terminal facilities and equipment of
every kind. Only under that author
ity can new terminals be constructed
and developed without regard to the
requirements of limitations of particu-
lar roads. But under Government ad-
Won 6ueIow May Succeed HertIins.