New-York tribune., 1918-02-21

government must take over the rail-
,oads and finance these securities dur
ing the war or Congress had to declare
& moratorium and provide that no suit
be brought on these railroad bonds and
toreclose them during the war and for
reasonable time afterward if we
wanted to continue to operate great
railroad systems of the country.
IT don't think there was a sane bust
ness man in the United States who did
not realize that something must be
done, and the Pre- sident, in his wisdom,
decided on this course"
For that reason, the Senator argued,
1t was nov necessary for Congress to
recognize the wisdom of the Presidents s
action and provide for it accordingly.
when you step one foot beyond the
period Of war and turn our transporta-
tlon systems over to one-man power"
he said, you are establishing ma
/ chinery for oppression, building up an
organization for destruction of bust
ness and endangering fundamental
rights of the people.
"Our own government possesses to-
day the constitutional checks and bal
| ances that protect us from the despot-
ism Of the autocrat and the spirit of
the mob. provided Congress will up
hold them.
Danger Ahead
"When Congress is ready 10 sur
render these constitutional checks and
establish a government of men instead
of law then there is danger ahead for
the American people"
Senator Underwood declared that
, since the bill was only a war emer-
gency, the powers vested in individuals
could be performed without danger
He supported the provision fixing COM
pensation to the railroads.
al don't think for moment" he
said, "that the President is going to
pay all that the railroads demand or
expect"
Senator Underwood opposed giving
the President power TO fix rates. de-
clarlng there is no war power or war
necessity involved in rate making"
Senator Underwood was followed by
Senator Sherman. who said he did not
approve of all the bil's provisions,
but as it was emergency legislation
he would vote for it,
Substitution Of the bill as originally
drawn, providing for an indefinite pc
riod of government control and author
lzng the President to fix rates, in place
Of the measure as reported by the COM
mittee, was urged by Senator Poindex-
ter, of Washington.
"The committee bin overturn abso-
lutely the initial rate making powers
of the state and Interstate Commerce
Commission" Senator Poindexter said,
"and imposes the vast burden of that
complicated and technical work upon
the President, giving to the Interstate
Commerce Commission that strange
role Of appellate power over the action
of the President. Nothing whatever
remains of the rate making powers Of
the various state commissions.
Rate Fixing Suggestion
at would have been far better if the
bill had contained simple express
provision reserving in the Interstate
and State Commerce commissions their
existing rate making authority, with
the provision that, where necessary
only in the exercise Of the duties i'm
posed upon him by this act, the Presi-
dent might change rates SO fixed. The
mere spectacle itself Of the President
being subject in any of his actions to
the orders of subordinate executive or
administrative officials, appointed by
him, is undignified and humliating. 1t
is wholly unscientific and will be ut
terly Ineffective"
Senator Poindexter said those who
believe in continued private control
should support the bill as amended,
since it would restore private control
eighteen months after the war. Put
those who believe in government con-
troll and in the unitication OF the rail-
roads into one system, TO be operated
under strict government supervision,
with either private or public owner
ship, should support the original bill.
tot n n
overwhelming consensus Of Judgment
in this country is that our transporta-
tion system should not be returned to
its former status" he declared.