New-York tribune., 1919-01-10
Raise i'm Freight Rates
Imperative, Cuyler Says

which is adopted provision shall be
made:
"ta) For adequate service and ia
cilities to meet not only the present
requirements but the growing and
expanding needs of our population
and of our domestic and foreign COM
merce
CD For new and additional con-
struction when justified by public
convenience and necessity and for
the elimination and prevention of
waste by unnecessary and injudicious
construction.
"(c) For the proper coordination
of the carriers lines, facilities and
organizations and for the consoida
ton thereof under proper limitations
whenever necessary in the public in
terest to meet and provide for the
reasonable demands of our domestic
and foreign commerce.
"(d) For the prompt and orderlv
coordination of the lines, facilities
and organizations of all carriers into
unified and continental system
whenever required in the public in
terest, because of extraordinary ma
tlonal emergency or peril
te) For rate structure which
Will provide sufficient revenues and
create sufficient credit to accomplish
these purposes.
70 tins end, the following principles
should be adopted:
!. PRIVATE ownership, management
and operation of the American railways
shouid' as a matter of national policy.
be continued. ''O''O''
-. The power Of regulation of the
lnstrumentalities of Interstate com
merce as to all things substantially
aHectlng them, Including all rates, state
ana interstate. should be exclusively in
,ne hands of the national government:
pul tnese national functions should be
adr1lnlstered through governmental
machinery or agencies responsive to
the needs OF and convenient to The peo-
pie OF the several states to the extent
ana the manner hereinafter suggested
State commissions should not be inter
tered with by the Federal act, except
so lar as necessary to carry out the
purposes herein mentioned
10 Cut Commission Powers
3. The Interstate Commerce Com
mission, which has heretofore been the
sole Federal agency provided by law
TO deal with such matters, should be re-
ieved from its executive ana admin
lstrative duties, except as TO Federal
z.
should act as quasi judicial body
clothed with authority to pass unon ali
questions concerning the reasonable
ness and adequacy of rates end con-
cerhing examinations coming before
II on complaint of any party interested.
or referred to it as hereinafter pro
vided.
a. A Department of Transportation
shou,d be created, the head of which
should be known as the Secretary of
transportation. He should be mem
Der OF the Presidents Cabinet and
should be vested with the following
powers and duties:
"(a) To carefully observe tho
transportation needs and transporta-
ton facilities Of the country, and, bv
suggestion and cooperation with the
carriers and by recommendations
from time to time to the Interstate
Commerce Commission in respect to
the necessity for rates and revenue
adequate to provide and maintain the
proper service and to create the
credit required to meet the needs of
the public for facilities. while at the
same time protecting the just inter
ests Of employees, of owners, Of ship
pers and of the travelling public, to
cndeavor to insure the provisions
OF adequate transportation facilities
TOR tie real transportation needs of
each situation. He should be charged
with the responsibility of recon-
mending from time to time to the
President such measures and policies
as in his opinion would promote the
interests Of the public and the ade-
quacy of the transportation service.
sob If he find that carrier is at
any time so congested or otherwise
unable to properly handle its traffic,
he should have power to distribute
such traffic over other lines and
routes on such terms as between the
several carriers as he may find to
be just ard reasonable under the cir
cumstances, subject in respect to
such terms to appeal to the Inter
state Commerce Commission.
Arbitrary Power Suggested
"(c) If he find it to be practicable
and in the public interest he should
have power, in the event of the fail
ure of the interested carriers to
agree. to require the use of the ter
minals Of any carrier by another or
other carriers on such terms as he
may fix as reasonable and just, sub
!ect to the right of appeal Of any
interested carrier to the Interstate
Commerce Commission.