The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1918-01-08
Only By Government
Operation Could Un-
ity Be Obtained
ADDRESSES JOINT
SESSION OF CONGRESS
Bills to Garry Out Presidents Plans
Already Had Been Prepared Un-
der Supervision Of Department
of Agriculture.

Washington, Jan. 5.-President
Wilson yesterday laid before cong
ress, assembled in joint session, his
recommendation for carrying out
government operation of railroads.
Bills to carry out the presidents
ideas already had been prepared un-
der the supervision of the depart
ment of justice and were imrnedi-
ately introduced with plans for
prompt consideration in both house
and senate.
To guarantee proper returns to
the roads during the period of gov
ernmnet operation the president
recommended that. congress provide
compensation at the rate of the
same net operating income as the
roads have received for the three
preceding fiscal years.
To provide for proper malnte-
nance of the roads and their return
to owners in the same order as the
government takes them over, the
president recommended legislation
to authorize their upkeep and bet
terment during the period Of feder-
al operation. Legislation to this
effect is all contained in the admin
istration bills, which would appro-
pirate s5OO,OOO,OO0 funds for gov
ernment operation.
Only by government operation,
the president told congress, could
the unity necessary to the country
be obtained, and he added that ex-
isting organizations of the railroads
should be disturbed as little as pos
sible.
The president spoke as follows:
Gentlemen of the congress-:
81 have asked the privilege of ad-
dressing you in order to report that
on the 18th of December last, dur
ing the recess of congress, acting
through the secretary of war and
under the authority conferred upon
me by the act of congress approved
and assumed control of the railway
lines of the country and the systems
of water transportation under their
control. This step seemed to be i'm
peratively necessary in the interest
of the public welfare, in the pres
ence of the great tasks of war with
which we are now dealing.
GAS our experience develops diff
ficulties and makes it clear what
they are, l have deemed it my duty
to remove those difficulties where
ever 1 have the legal power to do
so. To assume control of the vast
railway system of the country, is |
realize a very great responsibility,
but to fail to do so in the existing
circumstances would have been
much greater. I assume the less
responsibility rather than the
weightier.
81 am sure that I am speaking the
mind of all thoughtful Americans
when I say that it is our duty as the
representatives of the nation to do
everything that it is necessary to do
to secure the complete mobilization
of the whole resources of America
by as rapid and effective means as
can be found. Transportation sup
plies all the arteries of mobilization.
Unless it be under single and uni
fed direction, the whole process of
the nations action is embarrassed.
''It was in the true spirit of Arm
erica and it was right, that we
should first try to effect the neces-
sary unifcation under the voluntary
action of those who were in charge
of the great railway properties and
we did try it.