Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1918-12-14
M ADOO RECOMM'DS
FIVE YEAR GOVT
CONTROL RAILROADS
SAYS THIS WOULD GIVE A FAIR
TRIAL OF GOVERNMENT
OWNERSHIP.
SECRETARY FEELS THAT PRES.
EMIT CONTROL WILL NOT LAST
LONG ENOUGH.
RAILROAD OWNERS AND MANA.
GERS ANXIOUS TO GET ROADS
BACK UNDER THEIR CONTROL.

WASHINGTON Dec 1t.--Coutinu.
alton of Government control of rail.
roads for five years, or until January
n, 1924. was recommended today by
Director-General McAdoo in letter to
the chairmen OF the Senate and House
Interstate Commerce Commission.
This would permit fair trial OF
Adoo and eliminate the unsettled con.
dition under which the railroads must
be operated during the next year or
two If their status Is not changed ma
terially by legislation.
This recommendation Is not made
in support of any theories concerning
the best ultimate policy of running the
railroads, Mr. McAdoo explained, but
only to give the nation time to form
its ideas carefully
The DirectorGeneral explained that
it 10 impossible to retain the roa6s un-
der Government control for II months
after the declaration OF peace without
further legislation. owing to the strain
on the morale of officers and employ
es. and pointed out the difficulty
obtaining comprehensive Legislation on
tho subject soon.
President Wilson In his recent ad-
dress TO Congress said he was unable
~ fli~'sae@NhAx ~siioisEd be done with
the railroads, and asked Congress to
take up The question for discussion Inn
mediatoiy. He declared that unless ac-
tion was forthcoming he would be
forced to turn back the roads TO pri.
yate management
Acting under this plan, the Rail
road Administration has been prepar-
ing 70 relinquish control Of the rail-
roads, and 1t was the general under.
that the Administration would
wait two or three months before act.
ually starting the REIMBURSEMENT pro
ceedings to give Congress a chance 10
act. Recent developments have shown
the difficulty Of determining final
policy at this time, however, accord
ing to Railroad Administration Off
cials.
Most railroad owners and managers
are said to have urged that the roads
be relinquished, but under some sort
of remedial Legislation giving them
power to pool their resources and
eliminate wasteful competition. There
have been no important advocates os
restoration Of the old conditions, ac-
cording to officials On the other hand.
the friends of Government ownership
have just begun to renew agitation for
retention by the Government on per-
manent control, and later purchase OF
the roads property.
When the Railroad Control bill was
enacted, Mr.. McAdoo urged that the
period Of control not be limited to Il
months after the formal close Of the
war, saying this would not give op-
portunity for real test of Govern
ment management AT that time he
expressed himself as opposed to Gov
eminent ownership.
Recently he again expressed disaL
pointment that Government manage.
ment had such limitations, saying that
there was danger of the railroad ques.
ton becoming political issue In the
elections Of 1920. This would be I'M
fortunate. he said, because the rail-
road question was purely economic,
and should not properly be entanglei
with political Issues.