The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-27
M'ADOO IS HEARD
Former Rail Boss Urges Five
Year Plan for U. s.
Out of Office, He Keeps Plug
ging for His Plans.

G. McAdoo, former director general
of railroads and former secretary of
the treasury, made public today a tel
egram in which he urged five year
government control of the railroads as
ternational and waterways and for the
coordination of the railroads and wa
terways with the new American mer-
chant marine.
The telegram, addressed to Albert
Krell, chairman of the Miami & Erie
improvement committee of the Gin
cinnati Chamber of Commerce, was
sent in response to an invitation to
attend an international and waterways
meeting today at Defiance, Ohio.
The message said:
Regret it is impossible for me to
attend your inland waterways meeting
at Defiance, January 81.
Must Hold the Roads.
at seems to me futile to expend
great sums of money on the develop
ment of our inland waterways unless
our government adopts an intelligent
policy about railroad control. The
future of waterways development is
absolutely dependent upon govern
ment control which will enforce the
operation of the waterways and the
railroads as a co-ordinated and articu-
lated system which will give the peo-
pie the benefits of an efficient combl-
nation of water and rail facilities.
This cannot be accomplished under
the present railroad law which pro-
vides that the railroads cannot be con-
trolled by the government for a longer
perior than twenty-one months after
the return of peace. Within a twenty
one months period, no substantial de-
VelOpment of existing waterways can
be made, nor can their operation in so
brief a period afford any adequate test
of their values.
Upon the return of the railroads to
private ownership, which must be
made with the twenty-one months
period as the present law provides, the
cut-throat competition of the railrOad DIS
under private control with the partly
developed waterways will effectively
destroy water transportation as here
tofore and the peoples investment IN
these facilities will continue to be OF
little, if any value.
"I have urged the congress to ex-
tend the period of federal control of
the railroads for five years because
that will give US time to develop some
of the most important existing water
routes, coordinate them with the rail-
roads and prove their worth as a part
of a great American transportation
system.
Coordinate With Marine.
"I also feel that the government
inland waterways for a period of five
years, so that they may, in turn, be CO.
ordinated with our government mer-
chant marine which has been built at
a cost of more than two billion dollars,
| and which under existing law the gov
eminent controls for a five-year
period
UNLESS we look at this great prob
lem with vision and from the stand
point solely of the American people
instead of from the standpoint of the
selfish interests of private railroad
owners, private steamship owners. pri-
waite shippers, private investors, or
any other single class. we shall not
measure up to our obligations to the
American people nor realize the great
opportunities and destiny that lie
ahead of u.s.
THE confusion of counsel about the
railroad problem, made daily more
evident by the great variety of con-
flicting views and opinions now being
presented at the hearing before the
interstate commerce committee of the
senate at Washington makes it more
and more clear that the course of wis
dom, capacity and prudence is to ex-
tend government control of the rail-
roads for five years, that our inland
waterways be developed to the largest
possible extent during that period and
that these inland waterways and rail
facilities be co-ordinated with our
great merchant marine in an endeavor
to get for American business enter
prise a. fair participation in the bene-
fits of world commerce.
mo part of our union is more vi
tally concerned in this question than
the great states of the Ohio and Mis-
sissippi valleys as well as those Dor
dering on the lakes, the oceans and
the gulf. Many of their leading ports
will continue to be starved and their
DEVELOPMENT arrested unless they are
given a chance under the impartial
control by the government of rail and
steamship facilities.
The powerful and sleepless forces
of reaction are solidly arrayed against
this plan. They will defeat it unless
the American people are aroused to
the situation. The time is short The
matter is vital. My earnest suggestion
to you and your associates is that you
press upon the attention of the con-
gress the Importance of the five year
control in order that things you want
to accomplish may be brought about.