New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-07-26

pfDl5 LOT ClVlllduS
I Cordially, yours,
& w. G. McADOO.
Feeling that if the act to regulate
commerce prevented this step being
taken, but believing that the new
law to provide for the operation of
transportation systems while under
Fsdera1 control, approved March 21,
1913, gave the President power, in
section 10, to allow special rates to
men in the service while travelling on
Through, I submitted the question to
!. President Wilson March 28 as a
matter worthy of the approval of the
administration.
; To this the President replied:
The White House,
Washington,
~ March 80, 1918.
Hon Augustine Lonergan,
House of Representatives.
NV Dear Mr.. Lonergan I feel the
appeal, of course, of the suggestion
made in your letter of March %, but
/ must frankly say that I do not think
|. the powers conferred upon me justify
\ NE in distinguishing between one
= class of passenger travel and another
in fixing rates. 1t is not agreeable to
i not find in the paragraph to which
you refer of the recent legislation suf-
Gicient authority.
Cordially and sincerely. yours.
WOODROW WILSON.
fnferring, naturally. from Presi-
dent Wilson'S letter that he favored
! the project but found himself unable
to act under the law, I introduced in
the House on April 10, 1918, Fl. r.
1858, an amendment to paragraph 2
of section 10 of the railroad law of
March q, 1913, so as to read as fol-
lows:
that during the period of Federal
control, whenever in his opinion the
bubble interest requires, the President
may initiate rates. fares, charges, reg
lIations, and practices by filing the
same with the Interstate Commerce
Commission, which said rates, fares,
charges. classifications, regulations,
and practices shall not be suspended
by the commission pending final de-
termination: Provided however,
That during the present emergency
the charge exacted for transporting
any person in the Army, Navy, or Ma
rine Corps of the United States or in
the Nurse Corps thereof while travel
Ing on furlough between his or her
home and place of duty shall be one
half the regular charge for such
Transportation.
Owing to the large number of extra
clerks it would be necessary to hire
to keep such information, the head
uuarters of the Army the Navy, or
the Marine Corps does not have on
file in Washington data covering the
exact number of cases of furlOughs
granted and the average number of
miles travelled by each man, but that
abe numbers are large is self-evident
but not too large as to work to the
Ns1isadvantage of the stockholders of
the railroads, whose interests the
! Government has pledged itself to pro
tect. In the Marine Corps, for in
stance; I am informed about one
man in two was granted a furlough
during 1917, and it was roughly esti-
mated that the average number of
miles travelled by each man Oh fur
Plough was $50 miles. In the Navy,
] Burroughs are not to exceed 80 days
i In one calendar year, except in cases
Of emergency.
It soon became apparent that pub
I lie opinion in the country was rally
i ing behind the simple proposition to
Smake their homes nearer for the
rtr5ops and newspapers rapidly re-
4 aected this opinion.
There was ample precedent if not
lin our own history at least in the re-
#sent stories of all our associates in
the war.
y =. In Great Britain
Il am informed by Mai. Charles Ly-
ZEN. assistant military attache at the
#enIbassy here
Bln all cases when furlough is given
from FRANCE to officers or men it
Carries with it a free return railway
Ticket to their homes. This is inter
4preted fairly literally, and practical !
Nv means that a free ticket can be
obtained to any point in Great Brit
g ain or Ireland.
Il Practically the same rule holds true |
n as regards sailors furloughed from
4 the feet
Ordinary furlough from any camp |
b. Great Britain also carries with it, |
las rule. a free railway pass, but on
sorne occasions, when furlough is Civ |
Aen for special purposes, the officer or |
raans has to pay part of his railway |