New-York tribune., 1919-01-23
opposes 5.Year Control and
Wants Roads Safeg,larded
From Political Nagarics
Against Standardization
saws Uniform Equipment Means
Financial Failure; Would
Retain the Best Reforms
Ncw York Tribune
Washington Ypred


| ,be United States Railroad Atmjnis-
traton for the standardization of rail
rOad rolling stock equipment were
branded to-day beforc'the Senate Inter
safe Commerce Committee as imprac-
aeable unwsc ard unnecessary. The
witness was JV'ius kruttschnltt. chair
ran OF the board Of the So0thorn Pa
aac, who was tcs.ifying in opposition
to the proposal for five-year after
;ac-wsr period Of government control.
Some years ago" declared Mr.
Euttschnitt, the late f. H. Hartman
became obsessed with The idea of
standardzne all the locomotive equip
ment on his system, and he charged
nc with the duty Of devislng a plan
whereby this could be done. opposed
! then for the same reason that L op-
pose it now namely, that in order to
get the most efficient service you must
have different types Of locomotives 20
meet the varying conditions of erade.
trsckase. fuel water ard character of
Traffic Finally AIr. Hartman came to
the samo conelusion himoelf."
Reads AsA No Guarantee
The railroads NJ Kruttschnitt said.
we're not asking for guarantee of
Earnings.
We recognize" he said, that the
establishment. o. a definite guarantee
would stihe all Incentive 20 efficient
Management and would destroy com
petition as to service "a facilities. If
necessary revenues could be obtained
Without effort, what inducement would
exist to make an effort?'
Mr. kruttschnitt made the main part
Of his statement vigorous refutation
Of the charge, frequently made by the
friends of Federal control. that the
railroads under private management
were incapable Of meeting the demands
Of the war through inefficient direction,
or that they had broken down.
competent critics, both home and
foreign he said, "herctoforo have
cFaractcrized the service cf the rail-
vays Of the United States rs the best
il the world, notwithstanding they have
tie lowest capitalization. pay the high
e. wages and collect the lowest tolls
.Oh the public
"Proatine b. experience acquired
1nder both private and government op-
na'ion, the carriers earnestly desire to
provide better system of operation by
amblnng the initiative and beneficial
5Na,ures OF competition inherent in pri-
awle ownership with the benefits de-
anloped during operation by the gov
eminent unhampered by legal restric-
1tons.n
+. He referred particularly to the fol-
nkTng as reforms advisable to be CON
tinued
I. The maintenance of the permit
Sstem so as 10 control traffic at It's
] ousce
,. Maintenance Of heavy loads for
cars
3. Pooling of repair shops.
:. Jnihcation Of terminals.
>. MAINTENANCE Of the sailing day
Plan for tidewater shipments dos-
A1sd for export.
8. Conso idation cf ticket Offices.
:. Utilization OF universal mileage
I tickets.
8. Maintenance Of the uniform
freight classification.
.. laictenance Of common time
tables between important points.
-.
| setes and uniform rules.
l II. establishment Of through way
| billing Of freight from point Of origin
l U destination. ard rendering unnec-
1 eSsly the rebiliing by connecting or
intermediate routes
~ Elimination, 50 far as practi-
eesie, Of the old practice Of paying iii
mileage or per diem rental for the
another.
10. simplidcatiea Of the old prac-
.ee o. a9poEticn.rg interllne pas
!. tsacer revenue: and.
H. Utilization Of water routes for
ee relic O. crosd1d rail lines.
says Jnitcd States Opposed Reforms
Many o. inoso reforms. the witness
/ "a tie railroads. tntmse -ves ought
I sut mo eject. but either were pre-
,sssed from doing so by law and court
ss'sonz. on by the unwiiiingncss Of
,sepers 70 sacrifice any advantages
| Asy enjoyed. a mere suggestion on
J ,s, ne paft Of Tho private manager in
~ ne said. locking to the pooling Of
a~a'e and tne elimination of circuitous
t.sa'es RAD brought forth an inquiry
~'m AttcTuev General Gregory as 70
H.
s'A'iarly iae witness pointed out, in
n ~ aoYeEnment suit Tor dissolvina the
sMoh end 1outherg Pacific systems
~s,1er, the government prosecutors
snessed the actor r The managers in
| s9nsoiidafiag ticket Offices aa proving
4 affaetions Of the arti-trust law,
! lhersupca all conso,.datioEs cf this
'Aa were broken up.
Would Mean Stagnation
" cross~czarainatior BY SENATOR
sys"ogg of Minnesota. he assented TO
- ~ proposition that even if standardi
ssson #sre practicable it would mean
s,rsa4.ion, 50 far as adoption Of i'm
sssDsements was concerned. The gu
nn''i'y Of American railroad equip
m OYER that used abroad he said,
49, aae almost entirely 10 competition
Asen the railroads IN this country
ze, the equipment best suited to
ssafyng conditions Of railroad oper-
n,'Nnt'on 70 the dcsigning Of cars
~ suited 70 the hauling Of cotton
~ ~ lumber. chief item Of traffic on
" ocutnern Pacific" sad tls,s wilne 81,
ts. slas spells the differenec betwccn
'sllsse.'' -" e0'''"''e'a'
MI. aIs krottschnits defended the un.
ss.snzness Of the Southern Pacific to
I is;lsss me allotment made TO il by the
lss',Dsa a''e Administration cf boxcars Of