The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1919-02-14
HINES OFFERS
RAIL SOLUTION
Would Put a Few Big Lines
Under Strict Supervision
QUESTION OF FAIR RETURN
Director General Urges Five Year
Control Before Senate Committee
Immediate Release OF Roads
Next Best Solution.

Washington. = Exaggerated COM
plant against Government railroad
operation, growing out OF a natural
.eactlon from wartime patriotic ten
sion, is psychological factor" which
makes it dincult at this time to de-
velop permanent solution Of the rail-
way problem, Director-General Hines
said in testifying before the Senate
Interstate Commerce Committee.
This is one important reason, MT.
Hines said, why Government opera
ton either should be extended nye
years and time given for calm dellb-
Grafton or the roads turned back to.
private management before the pres
ent 21-month period expires.
II do not believe there is anything
substantial in the argument that
five-year extension of Government OPP
Grafton would necessarily mean Gov
eminent ownership" Mr.. Hines said.
o1l.s IS 1ot believe in Gov
eminent ownership. / believe there
can be a form of radically recon
close Government supervision, includ-
ing Government representation on the
boards of directors, as will give the
public and labor all the benefits OF
Government ownership and at the
same time will preserve the benefits
of private and self-interested initia-
tive and will avoid the political diff
cuIties which perhaps are inseparable
from Government ownership"
So far as physical operations are
concerned, said the Director-General,
there is now no emergency which calls
on the Government to continue con-
troll of the railroads. He explained
that the methods adopted by the Rail-
road Administration during the war
now are open to reconsideration in
light of peace conditions, adding that
this had been Mr. McAGoo's attitude.
Mr.. Hines presented the following
arguments for fye-year extension:
1t will give advocates of Government
ownership full opportunity to press
their views without being influenced
by the temporary reaction against
Government control;
1t Will remove the necessity for I'm
due haste in solving such big prob
lem as the future of the railroads;
at will stabilize employment and
wage conditions, permit prosecution
of big program of improvements
and extensions help to take up the
slack in employment and material
during the critical period of readjust-
ment;
1t will protect security holders
pending an ultimate solution;
1t will minimize the danger. of max
ing the railroad question purely
partisan issue, to be considered in an
illogical manner, in the presidential
elections
Advising more elaboration in dis
cussing the railroad question, Mr..
Hines said:
81 think it is a fair prediction that
before any legislation can actually be
shaped there will be strong reasser-
ton of the permanent views of that
part of the public which insists on
ct reg e. Of social control of the
railroads and that this reassertion OF
the views now temporarily in the
background is going to defeat the
adoption of any permanent program
in the next two years.
'If this shall be the case, the re
suit will be that the end of the 2.
months period will approach and that
there will be no actual solution at ali
ana then there will be an cutlery for
an extension of time and in all prob
ability the time win then have to be
extended"