The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-07-20
GOVERNMENT TO.
own RAILROADS.
SAYS EASTMAN.

The newest member of the inter
state commerce commission, Joseph
B. Eastman, has struck a blow" says
the Railway Age, which is adapted
to shatter any hope the optimistic
might still have had that the inter
state commerce commission, now
constituted, would in the absence OF
/ specific instructions from congress 10
do so, so regulate rates as to enable
the railways under private operation
to prosper and adequately deve,ao
their facilities Mr. Eastman has sent
letter to the senate committee
interstate commerce, in which he
says: L believe that the roads shoul
continue in the possession and con
troll of the nation He makes Gle II
that he has no confidence in Drivd =
management and is unquaIific l.y III
favor of government ownership and
operation.
The law provides for the inter
state commerce commission . nave
nine members. 1t has only eight MEN,
bers now because Comm issioncr n n
lan's term expired some months ago
and no successor to him las been
appointed. The attitude of 4 .najcr:5,
of the present members of the CON-
mission regarding the matter of ade-
quate rates is indicated by 4 brief
review of their records
Commissioner Meyer has opposed
advances in rates in every inrortaat
advance rate case. He rendered. a
dissenting opinion in the Is per cent
case. the original decision in which
was rendered on June p. 1917, III
which he opposed even the comISra-
lively small advances favored py the
majority of the commission at thdt
time. Within eight months. however
after government operation had zen
adopted-the commission itself sIlert-
~ granted the rest of the Is per cent
advance in eastern terrNorv; ana
within three months more the rail-
road administration advanced freight
rates 20 per cent and passenger rates
90 per cent throughout the country.
And all these advances in rates
amounting to perhaps $1,000, 100000 a
year, are proving unequal to the en-
tent of several hundred millions OF
dollars year to the increases IN ex
penses which have occurred
Commissioner McChord also Dis
sented in the 10 per cent case and op-
posed the advances in rates .hcn
granted. Recently he has attempted
to show that the railways before The
government operation was adopte..
-
and has even contended that no con
siderable advance in rates may DE
necessary TO save the railway corr
panies from bankruptcy after the
roads are returned to them.
Commissioners Wooley, in a recent
address, has opposed any further adj
vance in rates and has argued that
any deficiency of railroad revenues
should continue to be made good from
taxes.
Commissioner Atchison was form
erly a member of the Oregon rail-
road commission. served as the So
licitor OF the National Association of |
Railroad Commissioners, and always |
has been hostile in his attitude toward
the railroad companies.
Commissioner Eastman as we
have seen, is an advocate of govern
ment ownership; and a man who has !
no faith in private management and |
favors government management can !
hardly be relied on to help to so regu- |
ate the railways under private man |
agement as to enable them to prosper
and furnish good and adequate Sery- |
ice
Commissioner Harlan favored a |
rger advance in rates ,han was
granted in the per cent case and |
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