The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-22
HARTMAN AND REGULATION

HARTMAN AND REGULATION
 MT Hartman was persuaded that with wise, competent and slSillful government regulation and control no danger would turk in the unification of the American railroad systems. He sailed for Europe the next day, leaving instructions that if he were to be communicated with that should be done through Otto H. Kahn, who had already revealed to MT. liar riman, as he has recently revealed to the country his profound grasp of in dustrial transportation and economic and financial principles as well as ms ap- horance of anything which savors of pa ternalism or state socialism in the re- lation of the government of the people.
 MT. Hartman had already ventured into the eastern field, becoming inter ested in the New York Central and Tn the Erie as well other eastern raii- roads. To secure these interests because he contemplated the upbuilding of un-
 flied coast-to-coast railroad system which would be followed by that unlh- cation of American railroad systems. lie
 was brought up short however partly because legislation was threatened, III fact statutes existed. which made ms project impossible of accomplishment ana partly because he felt that the inter state commerce commission lacked elth- CT power or wisdom adequately to nam
 dle the railroad problems.
 AS IT IS NOW
 Today the identical plan, at least in many of it's features, which MT Harrl- man advocated 10 years ago, appears to have gained the favor of many who are in authority in Washington, of influen~ tial members of Congress and no doupt considerable majority or the peop,e.
 For whatever be the outcome of the recommendation of the former director of the American railroads, William G. McAdoo, or of the plea of his successor MT. Hines, which was made few dayS ago that federal control or the rah- roads remain vested in the control or the government for period of five years' nevertheless underlying these recom- mendations and underlying also various other projects, even to some extent the plan worked out by the railroad execu- lives themselves, is the principle of CO., operation and either limited or else com nlete unification of the American rail- roads which MT. Hartman, with his lar seeing vision, earnestly advocated after | he had been successful with the Unloh Pacific going so far as to say that tne success in the future or the AIneIican railroads and the satisfactory reaitiohs
 which they should bear to the people de- nended upon unification, either complete 1 or martial. involving thorough co-opera- | tion. behind which stood adequate gov | ernment regulation and control. The war and the emergencies which 1t has occa- stoned have caused a new point or Vlew | resnecting American railroads to be tax on hv those who are in authority in con press and even by the people In fac" the very things which strict interpfS- J tation of the statutes respecting ral- l roads prohibited were set aside by the 1 government when the control or Ihe railroads was taken over and things .nAt | were of evil rerute and against wnicn l inc public mind was strongly set' were l adopted and put into more or less suo- | cessful practice by the government
 l In the case of one railroad system dr' | axtraordinary. almost absurd situation ! ,yas accustomed for this railroad nau hsen nrosecuted by the government TOT | .uaoed violation of the statutes anu
 we'd itself from appearance in court py agreeing to do voluntarily what the ue-
 nsrtment of justice insisted must DC done. and yet when MT. McAdoo LOOK Iover in the name of the government tbe American railroads this company
 was compelled to do the very tninss which had occasioned the prosecution nf if bv the department of justice MT Harriman's view was that tnere can unification, cooperation to the auvau :, tage of the railroads and tne peopie <. there stands behind these measures tis
 government itself represented py pous of men would be qualified by experience bv knowledge and wisdom actuaAy 'e
 operatee the railroads.