The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-09
NEWELL AND HARTMAN

1 All 2f the methods and policies planned | and perfected by President Newell were l adopted by MT. Hartman when he had I the opportunity to take hold of the unlon Pacific and bring it out of the inorass of bankruptcy, and so increase US value as to enable it to earn large uiVldends, to cause fine appreciation ir1 1 the market value of the stock and at the same time to aid in the upbuilding or the vast territory through which the Union Pacific penetrated.
 It wee due to Mir Harriman,s exp>>i- ence that he at last became convinced that transportation interests in the united States would be greatly benefited and that the people who furnished traf- fic on the railroads would also be bene-
 fited if there were such combinations as would enable traffic to be carried on
 With the highest economy. In fact Mir
 Hartman, looking far into the future was almost persuaded that the day would |come when the many railroad systems Of the United States would be brought into combination so that there would be only three or not more than four rail- road systems in this country. He be- lieved that great economies in operation of the roads and therefore great ad- vantage to those who bought transporta- tion would inevitably follow if there were wise and skillful management of the unified systems.
 THE WASHINGTON VIEW
 Intimation came to New York today that those who represent the govern ment in the management of the federal ized railroad system are about to give, ln fact may have already begun, care ful consideration to the railroad stua- ton and that their minds are gradually but surely centered upon a plan sim liar in many respects to the one which MT. Hartman advocates.
 The experience which has followed governmental control and direction of the railroads has taught the people lesson respecting railroad opera ton. Yet 1S would have been impossible ten years ago to persuade the people that lesson of this kind was worth learning
 few months ago one of the govern mental railroad executives ventured to say in public that he is now disposed to believe that the true solution of the rail- road problem is to be found in combina- tions which would make possible three or four strong national systems, all sub iected of course to government regula- tion. For in that way the greatest pos sible economies in the operation of the railroads and the handling of transpor- tation could be secured High wages could be maintained and at the same time reduction in the cost of operating the railroads could be secured
 Howard Elliott one of the ablest minds among the leaders in the railroad busi- ness of the United States. in referring to this view, said that while the railroad systems of New England might in this way be concentrated into a single zone, yet it would be of the highest advantage if the New England railroads were brought into close alliance or combina tion with one or two of the great trunk lines. The railroad committee of the United States Chamber of Commerce, whose annual meeting was held last week at St Louis, reported opinions and sub mitted recommendations which are in sympathy with this policy. The commit tee recommended that in the public in- terest roads be permitted to consolidate Into strong systems and so to consolidate as to permit of reasonable competition and so located that each of the princf- pal traffic centers of the United States be served by more than one system.
 A combination of this kind l0 or Ia years ago would have met with violent opposition. Tn fact the government would have stepped in and prevented it. but the governments experience in operating and controlling the railroads has dem onstrated that combinations whereby ;mall systems may be unified with large ones will be to the advantage or the people. It is observed that in the fnan- cial district the view is taken that as a | result of the deliberation of the railroads executives and of the view taken by | eading railroad operators Congress may 1 pc asked so to modify the existing stat 1 ltes as to permit combinations, subject, of course, to the approval of the gov authorities and to be regulated i oy the Interstate Commerce commission. |