Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-18
A STATEMENT TO THE PUBLIC

T%1E SENATE COMMITTEE on Interstate Commerce
ntermission from January until October 28 1919
when Bill (SS2S8) reported favorably by that Com
and % ss@Sn has been urged by s
which non-parsan and is responsive to that necessity for
remedial legislation which is recognized by the President by
is known the Cummins Bill.
The House Committee Interstate and Foreign Com,
railroad regulation which passed the House with sundry
5mendments anne This is known as the EsGh Bill It does not
tons for rate making without which private ownership and
the of the railroads and organizations Of shippers
and the result Of dstus the part of the general public
1 Of ownership oppose both bills
control, with that end in view.
DELAY ENDANGERs RESUMPTION OF PRIVATE
OPERATION
The railway properties and the traffic machinery uf
responsible directly and solely preservation
e Of e Of e RaoSd
unavoidable consequence of consolidated operation
IS to the public treasury and Which is not and can not be
organized from the standpoint of ownership and
conservation.
Extension Of federal control longer than to
the adoption Of indispensable remedial legislation
agencies of transportation and make resumption of private
towards government % OWnerhp WHICH would constitute tea
blight upon American policies, restrict development and
be effectively only % through prompt
and decisive action by Congress.
This be through legislation which will put
end the attitude Of suspicion on entertained by the public or
also put an end to the profound apprehension on the part Of
the and the pgbc as to the attitude OF
Such legislation must prevent the possibility of exploiting
security issues and like possible of public dstrus It
management rates by subjectng rate levels to work
5 De co o as
the circumstances Of the different roads, that
% @ e Se Ge S old aw
disposition of the raemakng authority to depress the
gadd excessive return upon the value of the
unusual density of traffic might otherwise produce excessive
results.
BOTH BILLS GREATLY EXTEND REGULATION
Senate and'ouse bills evidence the inhexble pur
carriers begun in 1887 the limit deemed consistent with
a xe 90 and
to the weight of opinion at the the
troll security issues new construction car supplies facilities
and to some extent & service and opeFaom nTc ~ ea
and entitled to reasonable statutory protection To return
these properties without adequate legislation is to destroy
if this protection assured investors in railway
returns They today dealing with speculative
hy F $ ey e I'd
efficiency under rates found to be adequate for the
TBe aouse Bill @ the limit of regulation without
any provision remotely tending to recognize the
machinery The Senate Bill reported S32S8 contains
fair recog9on Oh onSe oDngaoh IN Hcton o. AS new
procedure it plain that the Senate Bill should be passed by
the Senate and sent to conference with Section impared
PROVISIONS OF SECTION INDISPENSABLE
Section is fundamental 1t is indispensable in the
existing crisis that trust that Senator'S and Representa-
tives desrous of sound system of competitive American
transportation the floor of the Senate
ference upon the question of delay
danger the passage of bill containing its provisions.
This Bill is not in all respects the Association of Sc
curty would desire but recognize that legislation
practical process the result of the action of minds
and that this Bill is the result of prolonged patient
ageous welnformed and partisan action the of
the Committee which reported it. AS such trust that
will substantially accepted by the Senate and sent to
ference where such differences may arise other
features of the bill will be reconciled