The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-11
SHIPPERS OPPOSE
 PLAN ADVOCATED BY ROAD HEADS
Attitude of Shippers, Rail- road Securities Owners and State Commissions
 Is Made Known
By Associated Press

Washington, January 10. Attitude of shippers interests, railroad securities owners and state commissions toward rail- road legislation became known in part here today, in advance of their presentation b. rep resentatives of the various in terests to the Senate interstate commerce committee next week.
 The shippers oppose establishment of a secretary of transportation and fed eral incorporation of railroad compa nies. as advocated by railway execu- tives and propose the following.
 Rates sufficiently liberal to guaran- tee proper maintenance of railways and ample returns to security holders; government regulation by the inter- state commerce commission, mainte- nance of the functions of the state commissions: common use of terminals and other facilities cooperation among railways to promote efficiency of service. but with pooling and unifi- cation agreements subject strictly to the interstate commerce commission and restoration of the roads to pii- vate ownership as soon as remedial legislation has been enacted.
 URGE RETURN
 Railroad security owners oppose Inc five-year extension. of government control and urge return of the road- to private management after enact- men; of legislation paving the way Tor partial unfcation They are opposed also to the executives plan for creat- ing a secretary of transportation anu nsist that tlH so-called twilight zone of authority between federal and state governments does not truly exist.
 TO PRESENT PROGRAMME
 The proposed legislative programmes of these interests will be presented to the Senate committee next week. Shippers will be represented by the national industrial traffic league and by Clifford Thorne, shippers at- torney, security holders by the national association of owners of railroad se curities. for which Davies Warfield, the president, probably will appear and the state commissions by Charles E. Elmquist. president of the nationai association of railway and utility com missioners.
 It was announced here tonight that the association of owners of railroad securities and the national and indus trial league had reached partial agreement on recommendations for re- turn of the traffic league. said ship pers realize unless the railroads are given reasonable return on the in- vestment and on the money required 10 give the shippers additional facilities" the shippers suffer much as the railroad owners. This was accompd- nied bv a statement from MT. Warfield. saying The interests of the shippers and the security owners are largely identical"
 MANY UNJUST ORDERS
 Clifford Thorne, representing ship pers' interests. gave out a statement saying that although the railroad ad- ministraton had tried worthily to eliminate rate iniustices caused by the general advance. many orders have been issued that are arbitrary and un- just without granting shippers a hearing. For this reason he urged that Congress Immediately restore the rate suspension powers of the Interstate Commerce commission: eliminate from the railroad control act "the clause which states that the orders of the President may supercede the common law and the statutes of the state and federal government" and require tho director general to pay final juds. ments rendered against common car riers.
 Interstate Commerce Commissioner Clark a gain testifying before the Sem ate interstate commerce committee to- day, explained in answering to question by Senator Lewis of Illinois, that the commission. in opposing OK tension of government control, has not been influenced by the thought that the commission might be abolished or its powers curtailed. Other commls- sioners will be heard when the hear ings are resumed Monday. "