El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-12-08

board The Cuins bill provides for the consolidation Of
carriers into specified number Of systems. Shippers
should be in sympathy with any plan which seeks to
provide for compulsory consolidation Of carriers There
isn't any necessity for such plan. The Esch bill provides
that carriers may consolidate if they want to, but
after the commissions approval has obtained The
approval Of the commission is not to be given until after
it has made thorough investigation and decided that such
consolidation is the interest Of better service to the pub
lie economy in operation
The Esch bill also provides that % common carrier en-
qaged II interstate commerce shall extend or abandon any
part Of its line without first obtaining the approval Of the
commission This is excellent provision in that it pro
ects particularly the small and growing towns Of
country The Esch bill delegates to the interstate
commission complete power over routing and
service IN emergency That is the bill provides that
the commission may in order to relieve congestion in any
particular section Of the country, order traffic diverted
via routes other than those specifically provided for in the
tariffs Of the carriers Il my also, IN order rops
from different sections Of the country order the carriers TO
many it shall deem necessary It is quite obvious
that this IS good provision and that it viii protect the
shippers The Esch bin further provides that the commits
themselves with sufficient equipment to be able to meet
the normal needs Of the public
The Esch bill extends the Commissions power to
compel through routes and rates It extends it by
empowering the Commission to say, at the tine,
what proportion Of such through rates shah accrue
to each participating Garner. If the commission
had power today to say what proportion Of through
rate should TO each carrier participating IN
the haul Of traffic there would be through rates and
routes than there now This obviously would be to
the direct benefit Of the shippers There many IN
stances To-Day Wnere Lnee are no through rates between
certain points due solely the fact that participating
rers unable to agree upon divisions This is the case
with respect to rates from Fl Paso to points IN the PeOs
valley territory.
The Esch bill also gives the commission power to re-
qure railroad to open its terminals to an
other carrier upon such terms and conditions as nav be
prescribed BY the commission. This provision viii do avav
with what is today known "a railroad town OF
port There numerous ports which have more than
one railroad but which zone road portn simply be-
cause one line got IN and tied up all Of the waterfront TO
the exclusion Of all other lines and the hurt Of both
the port and the public
The Eseh bin provides for more cooperation between the
various state commissions and the interstate commerce
commission The bill provides that the interstate com
merce commission N handling complaints likely to result
IN general adjustment rates. classification practices ETC.
shall notify the state commission commissions Of the
state OF states to be affected and solicit the assistance
such state commission commissions in reaching an eout
able adjustment In this connection the interstate com
erce commission invited requested BY this provision
in the Esch bill to hold joint meetings OF hearings with
the state commissions.
The hand Of the shipper is called. The question is are
they going to lay down they going play the game
to finish by demanding that congress Immediately pass
legislation necessary to turn the roads private owner
ship and operation.