Evening star., 1918-01-27
SPEED ON RAILROAD !
BILL TO Be SOUGHT
Chairman Sims to Insist To-
morrow That Limit Be Put
on Arguments.
LINES STATUS UNCERTAIN

Tomorrow Chairman Sims Of the House
committee on interstate and foreign COM
merca win insist that the committee
put . time limit on the arguments on the
administrations railway bill. and that the
bill be taken up by the committee for
consideration. The hearings have been
extensive and exhaustive and he is de-
sirous that the final arguments Of the spe-
cial interests which have appeared shall
be concluded. so that the committee may
take the evidence and tho argument and
begin work on the bill.
Until Congress has perfected a law gov
erping and regulating the administration
Of the railroads which have been taken
over by the government, 1t will be impos-
sible, 1t Is said. for tho federal administra-
tors OF the roads to elaborate policies of
financing and control, which are of vital
Importance to the roads, and especially
to the so-called short lines and small
properties, as distinguished from the
great trunk lines.
Every day appeals are pouring into
Washington from the managers Of these
properties to know where they stand in
this revolution of management. and par
tcuiariy how they are to fare In impend-
them, 1t Is said, are proceeding upon
short-term financing deals that have to
be renewed.
Can't Forecast Terms.
No one is at this time able to forecast
the probable terms of the law which
Congress is to pass to effectuate the
governments direction OF the railroads.
It will be made, in the last analysis, in
the conference committees of the House
T.
roads will be without guide for their
financing for the future, although for
many OF them that future is now close
at hand.
relates to the tenure of the govern
ment's control OF the roads. The bill
as drawn by the administration officials,
and introduced, provided that federal
control should continue during the
period Of the war and until Congress
shall otherwise direct.
Tho following addition to that clause
has now been proposed to the COM
Of the committees tentative bill:
'But this act is expressly declared to
be emergency legislation enacted to
meet conditions growing out Of war:
as expressing or prejudicing the fu-
ture policy OF the federal government
concerning the ownership. control or
regulation of carriers or the method or
0601S VI SopitoAAAalAoiA ShSASoA.
Submitted His Views.
Prof o. NJ W. Sprague of Harvard,
Q recognized authority on banking and
finance, at the request of Chairman
Sims, submitted to the committee his
Views upon definitely limiting termi-
nation Of the government operation OF
the roads, and his statement is to be
part of the committee hearings.
Prof. Sprague holds that to return
the roads to their owners Immediately
upon the conclusion of peace would be
unwise from every point of view. The
factory for years before the entry of
he thinks. desires to return to former
conditions entirely unmodified.
Experience with the workings under
suggest desirable changes in practice,
elusive while the country Is at war.
The continuance of government guar
antee of income during the period of
economic reconstruction after the war
should be welcomed by investors.
Prof. Sprague doubts the constitu-
tionality Of indefinite continuance OF
the present arrangement after the war,
although he says there is no question
OF the right of Congress to provide
Tor 1t as a war measure. He regards
favorably an amendment which will
return the roads to their owners with
in two or perhaps three years after
the war.