The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-01-29
Thorne Wants PoUers of Courts
.p and Commissions Restored

Following is memorandum OF
the opening statement on behalf OF
shippers, before the senate commit
tee on Interstate commerce, by Cliff
ford Thorne. Friday. January "a,
1919:
Government operation is SO dis
tasteful among the shippers OF the
United States that, were a popular
vote taken today it would be defeat
ed overwhelmingly.
If the members OF Mr.. McAdoo 8
staff had deliberately planned to
double-cross the director general.
and thereby to make government
operation so unpopular that 1t woulL
tend to kill any possible movement
toward government ownership, they
could not have adopted any more eff
fective methods than those which
actually have been adopted.
these railway officials have attempt
ed to double-cross Mr.. McAdoo, for
they are honorable men. Unques-
the war were largely responsible for
LIZ gyC<AAolAAS SAIootAOh. q
There are some good things which
Mr.. McAdoo and his associates have
accomplished that must be saved out
Of the wreckage. To do this intelli-
gently and efficiently will require
several months Of discussion and the
careful drafting OF laws that will
make some very important changes
in our present statutes. During this
interval the SHIPPER. wants protection
against business organization hav-
ing powers that are autocratic and
despotic in character.
In the midst Of the intensely in
teresting and, instructive discussion
which you have listened to during
previous days about the forty or
posed by the interstate commerce
panies, 7 desire to challenge your at
tention, il possible, to q single propo
sition: 1t is of paramount Importance
to the stability and progress of
American industry that you shall i'm
mediately restore the full powers of
our courts and commissions over the
railroads of the United States.
This can be accomplished in a
very simple manner, by striking out
few lines and inserting one or two
sentences in section 10 Of the rail-
road control law. We are gra9ely
apprehensive whether we can COM
mand your attention to this subject
sufficiently to get immediate action,
when your whole discussion, up :,
the present moment, has conferred
upon question Of larger and more
fundamental character concerning
the permanent solution of the trans
portation problem question OF
vast Importance, but one that cannot
possibly be settled during this ses-
sion of congress. Our proposition.
however can be settled now. And
unless this is done, the shippers OF
the country will suffer ineatculaolo
injury. We may differ on many
things, such as the relative functions
of the state and federal governments.
the pooling of earnings, mergers and
consultations which may tend to
eliminate competition in service. the
control Of capitalization by the fed
eral government or by the state, etc.,
ETC.: but believe that / am safe in
saying that the vast majority of the
shippers OF the United States arc
united in urgently petitioning for i'm
mediate action on the proposition
which have stated.
We believe that all other discus
sion might well be temporarily sus-
pended for a few days so as to make
possible the immediate consideration
of this issue. Unless you decide 20
do this, nothing will be accomplished
by the present congress. For ship
pers, railway representatives, STATE
commissioners, labor spokesman, and
reformers generally, can talk for the
next six months continuously ABOUT
the many propositions which have
been suggested to you already by
the railroad executives and oy The
interstate commerce commission, TO
say nothing of those yet to come.
You, yourselves, can reach To con-
clusion on this fundamental qdes-
ton inside Of six months. The Trans
portation problem forced upon US at
this time will inevitably become one
of the leading issues, if not the
greatest. before the American peo-
ole during the coming twelve months.
This subject viii be discussed from
every conceivable angle, on the plat
form, in the newspapers and maya
zines. and In the halls of congress.
1t is essential that this amendment