The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-15
M 'ADOO'S PLAN FOR RAIL EXT PENSION
 HAS LITTLE HOPE
Senate Will Begin Hearings Soon to Go Into Cues ton of Government
 Ownership
nx HuGH w. RonERrs

Washington. December f4.--(Special) The desire of Director General McAdoo to hold the railroads for another five years and the request of Postmaster General Burleson that the government be given possession of telephones and tele- graph lines for an indefinite number of years are regarded by members of Con gress as the intention on the part of the administration to institute govern" mental ownership of all public utilities. In the Senate government ownership advocates are limited to dozen mem bers. Sentiment in favor of the McAdoo proposition is not by any means as sertive In the House government own ership has few friends, and those in ia vor of extending the period of control over railroads are Limited in number. As result. it is absolutely certain that there will be no legislation regarding this -rnomentous subject, the most mo nentous facing Congress before March 4. MT. McAdoo regards it as practically impossible to secure legislation follow ing the ascendency of the republicans after that date. ,
 It is learned authoritatively that the
 Senate committee on interstate com merce will take action at formal meet
 ing Thursday, which will be followed by open hearings" The democratic mem bers of that committee met in conf
 dence" this morning and decided that 1t would be wise seriously to inquire into the subject. Irrespective of whatever Fundamental ideas the individual mem.
 bers of that committee might have, it was agreed that very probably certair facts in a hearing might be elucdated
 capable of producing a change in opin- ion.
 The first witnesses called will be Di-
 rector General McAdoo, his assistants
 and others who believe that the experi- mental stage should be extended Then
 the owners of railroad securities will be called. Third witnesses will be the ship pers. In course of the investigation, the
 committee will ascertain in dollars and cents just what 1t has cost to operate certain railroads as whole and certain divisions as integral parts of the whole. At the same time the desire of the own CTS of securities will be officially made known. Furthermore, the shippers will give testimony as to the service they received and how the cost of that serv- ice compared with the cost of service prior to governmental control !
 It is apparent that with the extended hearings and subsequent deliberations of the committee March will have come 1 and gonea before it will be possible to prepare and report a bill. For that req 1 son, the prediction is general that prior l to the ascendency of the republican party there will be no railroad legisla tion.
 Senator Underwood. member of the interstate commerce committee, de- ] -ciared that as the committee would se- riously inquire into the subject he would | not take position relative to the all inn | portant issue. It is known, however, that l he is opposed to government ownership l and it is believed that he is not at pres l ent favorable to the extension of the.trial | period as requested by MT. McAdoo. l Senator Bankhead, not member of the | committee, has no hesitancy in stating | his position He is among the "opposi- | tion-r
 T am opposed to government owner | ship" he said this morning, and every 1 thing that smacks Of government owner ship. We will have no legislation during this session of Congress-.
 Alabamians in the House are disin- | clined to commitals at the present time.