Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-13
KELLOGG APPEALS
FOR RAIL INTERESTS
Minnesota Senator Comes Out in
Favor of Returning Lines 18
Months After War.
BY Associated Press to Every Evening

WASHINGTON, Feb I3.
The opinion that President Wilson's
action in taking over the railroads was
unnecessary because as good results would
have been obtained by the carriers with
proper government cooperation WAS
expressed in the Senate today by Senator
Kellogg, Of Minnesota, a member of the
Senate Interstate Commerce Committee.
He declared that had the railroad execll-
tives been given the full measure Of assis-
tance the government would have escaped
the necessity Of guaranteeing to the
, carriers an income for the use of the
properties taken over.
Senator Kellogg spoke in support
of the committees amended draft Of the
Administration Railroad bill which he
said rejects the hest judgment Of the
Administration and the committee
Although he did not agree with the prcsl-
| dent and mis- advisers on the railroad
| question the senator said he intended
doing everything posi- ale to strengthen
and facilitate government operation and
| insure justice to the people, the railroads
and the vast army OF security holders
The executive committee OF railroads
! heads, the senator said, greatly co-or-
| dinated the transportation facilities and
| enormously increased traffic but were
hamped by certain laws and restrictions
| which should have been abolished
MUST RETURN ROADS, He SAYS.
"The railroads should have been sup
! ported by government authority he
| continued, ITO operate as a unit. Bear
| ing in mind that the congestion was
! simply in the eastern and northeastern
| territory, | am constrained to believe
that as great service could have been
obtained through the governments 5 co
operation as hy taking over the roads. :
Senator kellogg approved Of the COM
pensation provided in the bill and said:
\ guarantee by the government OF q
/ permanent income on an investment
would be reasonable at a very much
| lower rate, but the guarantee III this case
! is only for the period of the war and at
short time thereafter and therefore it
! should, as near as possible, represent the
earning capacity of the roads over a reason
/ able term of years
The plan submitted originally by the
administration giving the President abso-
| lutte power to fix rates was denounced bv
Senator kellogg. Il IS appalling he
declared, TO say that because we are at
! war, the country's entire rate-making
| structure and the absolute power TO
change a rate, affecting the billions of
dollars of railroad property and hundreds
of millions of dollars Of commerce shall be
placed in the hands OF one man, without
the right Of appeal
Senator kellogg said he believed the
provision in the bill terminating govern
ment control within eighteen months after
the war should be retained
Il have no doubt that under the war
power, he added, Congress may keep
, the railroads for a reasonable time after
the termination OF the war But to keep
them an indefinite time and pay rent
} therefor is obtaining property under
/ false pretenses so far as the American
people are concerned. | am not vet
l prepared to take step that will fore,
/ government operation upon the pcopl,
of this country. That question should b,
met by the American people squaret
and fairly, unhampered by any othe
issue and should the time come when tn,
people deem il wise to take over tn
railroads, their mandate is final"