Arizona republican., 1919-01-05
FEAR IF POLITICS |S
 M 'ADOO' 'SM0T|VE|N
 HIS F|VE-YEAR PLAN
Argues Only Definite Basis
 For Return Of Roads To Be Determined By
 Peace Time Control
rRepubIican A. D. Leased Wire1

SHIN GTON, Jan. 4.-Only through the proposed five-year exten- sion Of government management of railroads can the government move to- wards q permanent and comprehensive osllt-e5n of the railroad problem, Direc- tor General McAdoo insisted today, in testifying at the senate interstate com merce committees hearing on railroad legislation. Other plans, such as pri- vate management, possibly with limited consolidation of lines and with govern ment supervision, MT. McAdoo said he considered inadequate expedients" and make shifts and he was prepared now to make mo further recommenda- tion, if congress decided not to extend control as he had suggested.
 Questions by Senators Kellogg. Gore. Mclean, Townsend, Cummins, and Watson were directed at MT. McAdoo in vain attempt to ascertain his ideas of what course would be best as an al- formative for the five-year proposal
 Fear that railroad men would be thrown into politics in the next presi- dential campaign constituted one of the principal reasons supporting the five year suggestion, Mir. McAdoo asserted
 II Nit leAlii Otlho cl . lltlQ pIilN = 1 months,' he said, T fear the employees themselves would become objects of so- licitation for one plan of campaign or one group of candidates. The railroads of the United States must be. kept out of politics.
 Peace Times Only Bases
 He defended government operations against what he described as an at tempt to diseredit it. on the ground that net earnings had been insufficient to pay the compensation guaranteed by the government" saying judgment of unified operation sfhould be based on earnings only in normal peace times, and that this was another reason for testing government control for five years.
 My Judgment is that the test would show something conclusive-I doI not know what" said MT McAdoo, replying to Senator McLean's query: Can We test one system by trying another"
 To Senator Cores inquiry: Don't you think the railroads should be per mitted to consolidate. gravitating to- ward two or three competing nationa systems, with some government super vision,% MT. McAdoo answered:
 T think that would be only a pallia tiNE tC u0ctl Nilil CtIldtIi tOHuIllOnS. would prefer to deal with the question comprehensively"
 No Successor Named At the end of his testimony, Mr McAdoo and MT. Smith of South Caro- lima, chairman of the committee, ex- changed brief complimentary speeches It was the occasion of Mr. McAdoo'. last appearance before a body of con- gress, before retiringas director gen. | eraI
 On Monday the committee will heal | Edgar E. Clark and other members O. the interstate commerce commission and probably. Tuesday A P. Thom counsel of the Association of Railway Executives, will present the railroads views.
 MT. McAdoo still is expecting daily |, receive word from President Wilso: announcing the appointment of a new director general. and has no informa
 tion indicating the reasons for delay, i
 was stated. If no selection is made b,
 the time he leaves for a vacation il California Tuesday, he will maintain nominally the functions of directo general, although Walker D. Hines. hi
 assistant, may act informally as direc tor. designated by MT. McAdoo,as h
 has done frequently in the past.