Arizona republican., 1918-01-05

out with as little disturbance of the present operating organization and per- sonnel of the railways as possible" And repeated the assurance given in his proclamation last week that owners of railroad securities should not suffer financial loss because of the new plan of operation.
 The presidents address follows in full:
 Gentlemen of the congress.
 T have asked the privilege of ad- dressing you in order to report that on the 2eth of December last, during the recess of congress, acting through the secretary of war and under the author ity conferred upon me by the act of congress approved August 29, 1916, [ took possession and assumed control or the railway lines of the country and the systems of water transportation under their control. This step seemed to be imperatiyely necessary in the in- terest of the public welfare, in the presence of the great tasks of war with which we are now dealing, As our experience develops difficulties and makes it clear what they are, I have deemed it my duty to remove those difficulties wherever 1 have the legal power to do so. To assume con- tral of the vast railway systems of ike country, l realize is very heavy re- sponsibility, but to fail to do so in the existing circumstances would have peen. much greater. I assumed the less responsibility rather than the welghtier. l am sure that I am speak, ing the mind of all thoughtful Ameri- cans when say that it is our duty $ the representatives of the nation to do everything that. it is necessary to do to secure their complete mobilization or the whole resources of America by as rapid and effective a means as can be found. Transportation supplies all the arteries of mobilization. Unless it be under single and unified direction. the whole process of the nations action is embarrassed
 Tt 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 railroads responded to the need promptly and generously. The group of railway executives who were charged with the task of actual CO.,
 ordination and general direction per- formed their task with patriotic zeal and marked ability, as was to have
 been expected and did, I believe, everything that it was possible for them to do in the circumstances. If [
 nave taken the task out of their hands, 1t has not been because of any dire lection or failure on their part but only because there were some things | which the government can do and the
 present management can not. We shall
 continue to value most highly the ad-
 vice and assistance Of these gentlemen
 and l am sure we will not figure them
 withholding it.
 Tt has become unmistakably plain
 that only under government adminis- I trationr can the entire equipment of
 the several systems of transportat ton
 be fully and unreservedly thrown into } common service without injurious dis ' crimination against particular proper- l ties. Only under government adnlinis- 5 tration can an absolute restricted and 3 unembarrassed common use be made of all tracks, terminals. terminal facili-
 ties and equipment of every kind. Only 3 under that authority can new terminals 7 be constructed and developed without regard to the requirements or limita- s tions of particular roads. But under
 government administration all these things will be possible-not instantly t but as fast as practical difficulties which cannot be merely conjured away
 give way before the new management s The common administration will bt ' carried out with as little disturbanc, l of the present operating organization. ] and personnel of the railways as pos. f sible. Nothing will be altered or dis.
 (Continued on Page Twol .