The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-13
SHIPPERS APPEAL TO
SENATE FOR RELIEF
"Railroad Operation Of the
Government" They Say of
Present Administration.
Special Despatch 10 TuE Sun.


WASHINGTON. Jan. 12.-Taking tho
stand that the railroad problem cannot
b. solved in the immediate future, seven
big organizations Of railway shippers
have filed a brief with the Senate Inter-
state Commerce Committee urging immc-
diate temporary relief for the shipper by
amendments to the railroad control act.
that would
Restore the suspension powers OF the
Interstate Commerce Commission over
railroad rates.
Strike out Of the railroad control law
the clause which states that orders OF
the President may supersede the COM
mon law and the statutes OF the state
and Federal Governments.
Insert a provision requiring the Di-
rector-General to pass final judgments
rendered against common carriers.
IThe present law eXenIpts the property
Of the carrier from levy OF ANAL proc.
ess)
The brief Was filed by Clifford Thorne,
&. Il. Chamberlain and Fayette DOW
representing the National Live Stock
SINNERS League, Corn Rclt Meat Pro-
ducers Association, Illinois Live stock
shippers Association, Western Petroleum
Refners Association, American Fetro-
leum League. National Petroleum Asso-
citation and National Council of Farmers
C'ooperatiye Elevator Associations.
Say Emergency HIS Passed.
II is set forth that during the war
there may have been somH necessity Tor
the subordination OF the United states
Supreme Court, State courts, Congress
state Legislatures and the Interstate
Commerce Commission to the VIII or the
one man Nho happens to be Director
General of Railroads, hut that the emer-
gency has passed.
The shippers organizations are at
lacking in the courts in Il half score or
more cases the constitutional authority
of the Director-Ceneral to ignore the
state and Federal courts. They intend
to carry these cases TO the supreme
Court. They lost the only decision so
far made.
The present administration is charac-
terized by the shippers as railroad OPP
Grafton OF the Gov ernncnt' rather than
Go, eminent operation of the railroads.
They declare that Director General Nc
.doo delegated all of tho operating
and that committees appointed to hear
complaints are from coast TO coast
made UP of a majority membership OF
railroad men. In this connection they
conclude:
This has presented one long splen-
did opportunity to put over things for
which the railroads have been lighting"
Menace Is Seen Ahead.
Taking up the question of rates the
shippers brief sets forth that the Rail-
road Administration has under consider
alton several sweeping revolutionary
changes in rates that are serving as a
constant menace to industry and that
will disturb existing rate relationships
on which business has been built up dur
ing the last generation.
The brief then reviews the past ac-
lions and the announced future policy
of the Railroad Administration in re-
gard to rate matters, emphasizing the
proposed uniform class rates based on
distance. and declares that many OF
them will be contrary to sound public
policy and that it will take years to
eliminate them. Therefore the shippers
appeal for immediate legislation to cor
rect the things of which they complain,