The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-08-16
:MUST LEND A
!. HELPING HAND
To RAILROADS

WASHINGTON. August 15.-Tt Con-
Yress proposes 10 build foundation Tot
, American prosperity il must extend
!. steadynG hand 20 tho railroads. ForneY
Johnston, OF advisory counsel Tor 'h'
National Association Of owners OF Rail
road Securities. told III" H"us" Inter
state Commerce" commute" today.
III Congress does not take courageous
and constructive action now" said Mr..
Johnston. appearing in behalf OF IN"
warfeld Ter cent return plan. the
progrcSs Of a generation toward a we'll
regulated system Of privately owned ana
operated railway transportation Will be
DESTROYED and tn" SiXly-SiNth congress
, will have forced government ownership
under conditions and with results which
the future alone can assay.
Mr.. Johnston c"nt'ud"d IN" Security
Owners association had presented the
only process that would avoid this fatal
and irreYocable step"
Pointing out that in 1915 81 railroads.
: operating moro than S0.""o miles. had
paid no dividends whatever. h" DECLARED
! American railroads had boon kept in
a bread line before IN" door Of tn" lnt"r-
4 state Commerce Commission. since 1910.
and that relief by the commission had
been sparingly dealt out h"cauS" cor
tain roads in each region were thought
TO be an affluent.
Yet before tn" committees or Con-
. eress and in every case brought before
the commission TO advance rates" the
= witness said. a vast mileaE" OF Amcrl-
I.can railways has been chokcd on with
: tho assertion that average statistics
. ehoyy average prosperity. In all OF these
. cases the commission has been actuated
. to deny general relief because certain
. roads were prosperous and tho commits
. sion was unwilling TO add 10 their pros
. perity even to have the large number or
roads which were receiving admittedly
inadequate revenue
II was to meet this situation, he toSd
=, the committee. that the Warfeld PLAZA
would direct the commission to fix rates
. 90 that the roads could earn minimum
. guaranteed return Of per cent upo"
. capital invested with division Of all sur
= plus over that figure among employees,
the public and tt" earning road.
"The fundamental proposal or the
warfcld plan" Mr.. Johnston declared
els that this continual basis OF warfare
between the shipper and tho railroads
the constant depressing factor against
relief before tho commission whom re-
lief lis necessary. must be removed by
regulation Of excess earnings. which
would relicV" shipping ORGANIZATIONS or
their apprehension and tn" commission
Of the odum which would hc visited
. upon VI If acfucn, railroads wrrN given
highcP rates 20 protect American trans
portation from bankruptcy.
In Contrndtng that congress must
. give constru"tiN" r"lI"f nr else So" tho
railroads plunged int" bankruptcy or
government ownership. Mr.. Johnston
= said the Warfcld plan offered IN" ""ne
"aolution upon which all conflicting Gle
nments in tho situation would unite.
~, I've feel absolutely assured. r" said.
hthat in presenting the association plan
iwe stand upon SAT" ground. consistent
81. with the Constitution and with -tmcri-
pcan traditions. While II is progressive
TN its acccptanc" Of the idea of COM
"plete regulation. "" a-o certain IL pro
serves tho inrcntlyo u good S"rEicc.
y. high efficiency and consideration fNr
passengers and shippers which no CoT-
ernmrntal organism or class Organiza-
. ton would accord.