Imperial Valley press., 1919-03-11
OUTLINE RULE
FOR RAILROADS

NudIISIS VI lllc ~ llllSb obeftNc 'N''i
road Administration in San FRANCIS
co:
"The director general desires to
clarity the relationship between the
United States Railroad Administra-
ton and the state railroad and pub
lie service commissions, and to agree
with them on a plan of constructive
cooperation under peace conditions.
With this subject in mind, and at
his invitation, a conference was held
between the director general, Max
Thelen, director of the Division of
Public Service, representing the
Railroad Administration and mem
bers Of the executive committee, and
the special war committee of the Ma
tional Association of State Railway
and Utilities Commission, headed by
Charles Z. Elmquist, president of the
Association.
The conference developed the ear
nest desire on the part of both the
representatives of the Railroad Ad
ministration and of the State Com
missions to work in the most COM
plete harmony in the public inter-
est. The Director General, speaking
for the Railroad Administration, and
Mr. Elmquist, speaking for the state
commissions, voiced the desire to CO.
operate in this direction.
As a result of the meeting, the di-
tector general plans to put into eff
iect the following policy as to the
operation of the railroads under fed
.ral control involving police regula
ions Of the several states, other than
hose affecting the transportation OF
loops, war materials or government
supplies, or the issue of stocks or
5onds or rates, fares and charges.
With this policy the representatives
of the state commissions expressed
themselves as being in entire ac-
cord:
Transportation systems under fed
2ral control continue subject to the
awful police regulations of the sew
raj states in such matters as spur
racks, railroad crossings, safety ap
1liances, track connections, train
service, the establishment, mainte-
nance and sanitation of station facil
lies, the investigation of accidents,
and other such matters of local serv-
ce, safety and equipment. 1t will be
he policy cf the director general to
cause the orders of the state COM
missions in these matters to be car
led out. The attention of the state
commissions is, however, invited to
the present status of the railroads un-
ier Federal control and the respon-
sibility of the federal treasury for
any deficiencies in revenue, and it is
assumed that expenditures will be
ordered only in the light of this sta
tus and after full consideration of
he bearing of the particular case
upon the needs and difficulties of the
United States in operating the rail
'oads."
The Director General also an
lcunced the following policy with re-
gard to Investigations and reports on
.hc part of the state commissions
md with this policy also the state
commissions representatives ex-
pressed approval:
"The director general earnestly de-
sres to accord to the public the
best possible service. He requests
,he assistance of the state commits
! ;iCns in investigating and reporting
to him the facts, with recommends
| 5ions, as to the existing service.
"All state commissions are re-
Quested, so far as they can convent
emily DO 50, to investigate the char
acter Of freight and passenger serv-
ice, the physical condition of track
and equipment the prompt loadiig
and unloading of equipment, and the
general efficiency of the service, in
their respective states, and to file
reports with the director general
sending a copy to the regional direc-
| tor"
The conference will be resumed
with the object Of discussing ques-
tions involving rathes and other sub
jects of interest to the Railroad Ad-
ministration and the state commits
sions, the object of both the director
| general and the representatives of
| the state commissions being to bring
about perfectly clear understanding
on al Of these matters, so that the
public service may be most adequately
served in the light of restored peace
conditions.
The members of the committees
follow: Charles Murphy, Georgia; c.
c. McChord, |. c. c.; c. l.. Glasgow
Michigan; p. w. Doutherty, South
Dakota; Dwight N. Lewis, Iowa; E.
l. Lewis, Indiana; E. f. Blaine,
Washington; Travis N. Whitney, New
York; Frank II. Funk, Illinois; Paul
P. Haynes, Indiana; r. Hudson, Burr,
Fla; Carl d. Jackson, Wisconsin,; B.
f. Cleaves, Maine; Fred w. Putnam,
Minnesota; j. Prenie Webster, Geor-
gia; C. f. Dufuis, North Dakota; S.
l.. Lupton, Virginia; F. G. Strachan,