The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1918-02-02
PRESIDENT Tells
RAILROAD PLAN
Outlines Method of Government
Operation.
ASKS FOR FAIR TREATMENT
Says Complete War Service Can Only
Be Given by Putting All Carriers
Under Government Control
Urges Prompt Action.

| OnOeT Government SoHtTOt-
| Urges Prompt Action.
| Washington. Jan. 5.-The admins
| tration's policy in regard to the gov
eminent control of the railroads was
outlined by President Wilson in an ad-
the two houses Of congress yesterday.
Bills to carry out the presidents
ideas already had been prepared under
the supervision Of the department Of
Justice and were Immediately intro
duced with plans for prompt consId-
Grafton In both house and senate.
The president spoke as follows:
Gentlemen Of the Congress: have
asked the privilege of addressing you
In order to report that Oh the 28th of
December last, during the recess of
congress. acting through the secretary
OK war and under the authority con-
ferred upon me by the act Of congress
approved August 20. 1916. / took pos
session and assumed control OF the
railway lines OF the country and the
systems Of water transportation under
their control. This step seemed TO be
lmperatively necessary In the interest
Of the public welfare, In the presence
Of the great tasks " war with which
we are now dealing.
"AS our experience develops difficult
ties and makes it clear what they are.
I have deemed It my duty TO remove
those difficulties wherever | have the
legal power TO do so. To assume con
troll of the vast railway systems OF the
| country is, realize, a very heavy re-
| spOnsibility but to fail TO do so In the
| existing circumstances would have
| been much greater. ] assumed the
lesser responsibility rather than the
weightler
Complete Mobilization Needed.
II am sure that ] am speaking the
| mind of all thoughtful Americans when
l say that IL Is our duty as the repre-
| sentatiyes OF the nation TO do every
thing that II is necessary to do to Sc
cure the complete mobilization of the
whole resources Of America by as rap
| id and effective means as can be
found. Transportation supplies all the
| arteries of mobilization. Unless 1t be
under "A single and unified direction
the whole process Of the nations &C.
| ton is embarrassed.
| at was In the irI'e spirit Of America
and II 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; aud we did try 1t. The
| directors of the railways responded 20
| the need promptly and generously.
Praiees Railway Executives.
"The group Of railway executives
who were charged with the tasl; OF
actual coordination and general direc-
ton with patriotic zeal and marked
| ability, as was TO have been expected
and did, i believe, everything that it
was possible for them 10 do in the cir
cumstances. If have taken the task
out of their hands it has not been be-
cause of any dereliction or failure on
their part, but only because there were
some things which the government can
DO and present management cannot.
|
the advice and assistance of these gen.
| tlemen. and ain sure we shall not find
them Withholding 1t.
Government Control Needed.
ut had become Enthusiastically plain
that only under government admins
tration can the entire equipment of
the several systems Of transportation
be fully and undreseivedly thrown into
common service without injuri-
Gus discrimination against particular
properties. Only under government
| administration can an absolutely un-
restricted and unembarrassed common
use be made of all tricks, terminals,
terminal facilities and equipment of
every kind. Only under that authority
Gun new terminals be constructed and
developed without regard to the re-
| Quirements or limitations Of particular
roads. But under government admin
istration nll these things will be pos
sible-not Instantly but as fast as
practical dihicultisI which cannot be
merely conjured away give way before
the new management.
Little Disturbance as Possible
"The common administration will be
carried out with as little disturbance
of the present operating organizations
and personnel of the railways as pos
sible. Nothing will be altered or dis
.urbed which 1t is not necessary to dis
turb. We are serving the public inter-
est and safeguarding the public safety,
but we are also regardful of the inter-
est Of those by whom these great prop
critics are owned and glad to avail our
selves, of the experience and trained
Watch and Man Alike.