Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-01-15
WILSON OUTLINES.
RAILROAD POLICY
Tells Congress Taking Over of
Lines Was Necessary
to Safety.
WILL CONSERVE INTEREST

Proper Returns to the Roads VIII Be
Observation-Disclosures Prompt Action
! and dealing With Great Matter
in a Great Way"
Washington, Jan. president Will
son yesterday laid before congress, as
| sembled in joint session, his recon-
mendations for carrying out govern
ment operation Of railroads. Bills to
carry out the president; ideas already
| had been prepared under the supervi-
sion of the department of justice and
were Immediately introduced, with
plans for prompt consideration, in both
house and senate.
The president spoke as follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress: l have
asked the privilege of addressing you
in order to report that on the 2Sth of
December last, during the recess of
congress, acting through the secretary
of war and under the authority con-
ferred upon me by the act of congress
approved August %, 1916, l took pos
session and assumed control of the
railway lines of the country and the
systems of water transportation under
their control. This step seemed to be
imperatively necessary in the interest
OF the public welfare, In the presence
OF the great tasks of war with which
we are now dealing
"As our experience develops difficult
ties 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 assume con-
troll of the vast railway systems of the
country is, l realize, a very heavy re-
sponsibility, but to fail to do so in the
existing circumstances would have
been much greater. l assumed the
lesser responsibility rather than the
weightier.
Complete Mobilization Needed.
Il am sure that / 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
Id 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 nations ac-
ton is embarrassed.
1T was In the true spirit of America
and 1t was right, that we should first
try to effect the necessary unification
under the voluntary action of those
who were in charge of the great rail-
way properties; and we did try it. The
directors of the railways responded to
the need promptly and generously.
Praises Railway Executives.
The group of railway executives
who were charged with the task of
actual coordination and general direc-
ton 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 cir
cumstances. If 1 have taken the task
out of their hands it has not been be-
cause of any dereliction or failure on
their part but only because there were
some things which the government can
do and present management cannot.
We shall continue to value most highly
the advice and assistance of these gen.
tlemen, and am sure we shall not find
them Withholding it.
Government Control Needed.
1t had become Enthusiastically plain
that only under government admins
tration can the entire equipment of
the several systems of TRANSFORMATION
be fully and undreservedly thrown into
a common service without iniuri-
GUS discrimination against particular
properties. Only under government
administration can an absolutely un-
restricted and unembarrassed common
use be made of all tracks, terminals
terminal facilities and equipment of
every kind. Only under that authority
can new terminals be constructed and
developed without regard TO the ra-
quirements or limitations of particular
roads. But under government admin
istration all these things will he nos.
sible-not instantly, but as fast as
practical difficulties which cannot no
merely conjured away give way before
the new management.
Little Disturbance as Possible
The common administration will no
carried out with as little disturbance
OF the present operating Organizations
and personnel Of the RAILWAYS as nos.
sible. Nothing will be altered or dis.
turbed which it is not necessary to dis
turD. we are serving the public inter-
est ana safeguarding the public safety.
but we are also regardfuI of tha inter.
est OF those by whom these great nror-
ertles are owned and glad to avail our
selves OF the experience and trained
ability of those who have been man.
aging them. 1t is necessary that tbe
transportation Of troops and of war
materials, of food and of fueI ond 90
everything that is necessary for tho
1uii moollization of the energies and
resources of the country, shonld no
nrst considered, but it is clearly in tba
pubic interest also that the ord;nor,,
'tVlties and the normal industrial
and commercial life of. tba oo,,,,+,.,,
should be intertered with ond a.
turbed as little as possible. and tbo
puDhc may rest assured that the inter.
est and convenience of tba nriro+,
we Must Sail, Not Drif+D
nnd the great thing in tbis would q,