The evening leader., 1918-12-05
PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OR NOT,
RADICAL CHANGES SHOULD
Be PROVIDED FOR

washington, Dec. 5.-RegardleSS Ot
whether railroads finally GO back te
private management or remain in the
hands of the government, radical
changes should be made in their meth.
DDS and theories of operation to pro-
vide partial merger under some sort
Of government regulation, the inter-
state commerce commission says in its
annual report made public today.
The commission believes the time is
not ripe to recommend concrete pro-
posals for legislation relating to the
future policy toward railroads, but
says whatever be the nations decis-
ion, there should be provision for com
pfete unification Of the railways in
war time, partial merger in ordinary
tunes, limitation of railway construc-
ton to public necessity, and system
atlc encouragement of the develop
ment of inland waterways, and their
coordination with rail carriers.
In other words, the commission is
opposed to the restoration of the old
conditions of individual competition
In which pooling of traffic was forbid
den by law, and to the building of hey
that they are econom1caI1y necessary.
If it is finally decided to restore the
railroads to private management, says
the commission, there should be legis-
lation to permit their cooperation,
emancipation of railway operation
from financial dictation, government
regulation of security issues; clearing
away of the existing twilight zone be-
tween the authority of state and fed
eral authorities in railroad supervis-
ion; efficient use of equipment and
common use of terminals.
On the other hand, if the policy of
government ownership should be
adopted, the principal questions to be
considered are: The price to be paid
for the roads; means of preventing
the railroads from being made sources
of revenue to the government, and al
so to maintain them as self-support-
ing; measures to define carefully the
responsibility of the railway admins
tration to congress and other federal
and state authorities; guarantees
against intrusion of partisan politics
into railway management, and crea-
tion of tribunal to the settlement of
controversies over railroad matters.
Some sort of government regulation
is suggested by the commission in
connection with each of the five alter
natives of future policy which may be
set forth by different interests in the
near future. These alternatives are:
Continuation of the present system of
government control with private own
ership, public ownership with private
operation, private operation with gov
ernment regulation and guarantees
complete private control and owner
ship and complete public ownership
and operation.
| The report deals at length with the
upheaval of railroad relations caused
by the war and the governments as
sumption of operation, anf the rela.
tions of the interstate commerce com,
mission to Director General McAdoc
and the railroad administration. The
commission has cooperated fully will
the government management, says the
report, but the commission still re
tains it's authority to review rates ini
tiated by the director general.
Railroad valuation york of the com
mission, which will become of grea
importance in case of government
purchase, is proceeding with little in
reference on account of the wal
safety work has been assumed partl,
by the railroad administration, but ed
ucational work is being continue
Throughout the country. The commits
sion in the last year has made grea
strides in seeking to promote uniforl
rate classiications, and has undertal