New-York tribune., 1919-01-10
Chairman of Association
of Railway Executives Is
Heard by u. 5. Senators
Programme Is Presented
McAdoo Is Charged With
Overlooking Roads With
$3.50, 900, 900 Car Order
New York Tribune
Iynsht1tJtON Ruyso,t

WASHINGTON. Jan. 9. - Higher
freight rates must be charged by
he railroads of the country if present
wages and costs of materials are to be
maintained. according to statement
.o-day by T. Dewitt Cuyler. chairman
,f the Association of Railway Execu-
ives. before the Sente Interstate Com
nerce Committee.
The increased rates, Mr.. Cuyler told
he committee, must come whether the
roads are returned to private manage
nent or are retained under the pres
mt system of governmental control.
The statement was made in the
,ourse of his examination by the com
nittee, following his presentation of
he programme of legislation suggested
~ the roads for the future regulation
If their properties. Whether the roads
Inder private management would re-
luce wages, he said, would depend on
conditions.
Incidentally. he charged Director
General McAdoo with having loaded the
'ailroads with a large amount of new
'olling stock, equipment which they
:ould not use and about which they
we're not consulted. The order for cars.
ne said, was placed by Mr. McAdoo last
March, and involved total expenditure
,f $3.50, 100000.
Transportation Chief Proposed
The programme of the roads was
drawn up by the executives at a meet
ng in Philadelphia last Sunday. Under
It regulation in the future would be
placed under a new department of the
government, to be known as the De-
oartment of Transportation. The Sec
.etary OF Transportation who would
iirect the department, would be clothed
u q hn
i've functions now exercised by the In
.erstate Commerce Commits ion. to-
yether with many of the powers of uni
1catlon OF operation now exercised bv
he Director General of Railroads as a
war measure.
The matter of initiating rates. how
.ver. would be left with the railroads.
subject TO review by the Interstate
Commerce Commission, whose func-
tions would he merely judicial To
axe the place of the various state
'ailroad commissions in the fixing of
local rates the plan calls for the es-
.ablishment of a number of regional
commissions appointed by the Presi-
dent.
Under the plan there would be no
recognition Of intrastate rates as dis
:lngulshed from interstace rates. the
whole matter of railroad rates being
segarded as a national one State com
missions would be retained for the ex-
srcise Of local police powers, but all
railroads would be required to take
out Federal charters.
Cuyler Plans Outlined
Mr. Cuvler's proposals follow:
"The fundamental and essential pur-
pose to be accomplished is to furnish
the Dubllc with safe efficient and odo
quate transportation at the lowest cost
consistent with such service, and with
due regard to the lust interests of the
owners and employees, and also ade-
quate to the nations needs even in
times OF great national emergency or
peril
st should be realized that the COM
merce to be provided for. whether in
peace or war, is not essentially or in
large part local, but is in its most
important and controlling aspect in
terstate and continental. Manifestly
any system which is adopted should
be adequate to deal with and supply
local needs as we'll as 10 meet The
larger purposes referred TO, and con-
sequently II is necessary to consider
whether nstrumentalites of commerce
whose principal functions and impor-
lance are Interstate and continental
should In matters affecting their capac-
ty TO serve on equal terms the en-
tire public be subjected to many local
authorities or to an authority repre-
Sentlng all localities
Must Protect Public
The interests OF the whole people
demand that in any plan or policy