Evening star., 1918-11-24

PLAN TO SOLVE
RAILROADS ISSUE
Senator Norris Believes
/" Public " Ownership
Would, Bar Politics. }. ],
FOR ISSUING STOCK

Senator Norris Of Nebraska has
TACKLED the problem Of keeping the
railroads out Of politics" and at the
same time providing for public own
ership. The result is a kind OF COM
promise, which he proposes to en-
body in a bill, providing for the own
ership Of the stock Of the RAILROADS
by the people and their control oy
board appointed by the President and
confirmed by the Senate.
This board is to be like the Supreme
Court of tho United States in that Its
members will be appointed for the
period Of their good behavior. or for
life II their services are satisfactory.
Senator Norris will introduce this bill
during the coming session Of Con-
gress, he says:
People Would Own Stock
His plan is to have the railroads Of
the country merged into one huge
company, the capital stock OF which
is to be sold to the American people.
Any stock that is not taken by the
private purchasers will be taken by
the government, but with the provi-
sion that it shall be SOLD as speedily
as possible to the people.
He would FIX a dividend Of per
cent per annum on this stock, max
ing it a good investment in view of
the safety. While there will be no
guarantees Of the dividend by the gov
ernment, yet with the resources of
pany, and the control exercised by
the federal board. the return on the
stock would be assured, he contends.
Suggests Board Of Five.
The federal railroad board proposed
by Senator Norris would be composed
Of i've men. He believes that by ap-
pointing them for life. or during the
period Of good behavior. the manage
ment OF the railroads would be taken
out of politics just as the handling of
lawsuits is taken out of politics by
the appointment of federal judges,
including the Supreme Court, for life.
This board would control both
rates and wages. and might continue
to use the Interstate Commerce Com
mission as its agent in establishing
freight and passenger rates. The
board would act as q board Of di-
rectors now acts for q railroad cor
poration. It would select the Of
uC6IS 1OI LuO tAIIO0S OTAuCueS Oh
the entire system. The employees
would be employees Of the corporation.
and not of the government.
Tho people would be the stockhold-
ers Of the corporation. but they would
have NO voting power. and no voice.
therefore, in the operation Of the
railroads, except indirectly.
Old Plan Called Unthinkable.
Senator Norris says that is un-
thinkable that the railroads shall
be allowed to go back to their old
owners on the same terms after the
war, because the day of competition
In the transportation systems Of the
country Is over. The essential thing
now. he says. Is cooperation For
that reason 1t IL faf better to merge
Where there can bo the greatest CO.
operation.
On the ether hand, Senator Norris
n equally positive that II would be
very harmful to have the operation
az the roads continued as At present,
with strictly political control exer-
cised By the political appointees of
any administration. He believes that
nothing could be worse than the
present arrangement
'~The great bugahoo OF government
fear that they will get into politics" /"
he said. Since tho government as.
sumed control Of them the control
has been political and 10 just what
has been feared. This must be done
away with. believe that the plan
have suggested will keep the roads
out Of politics.