The sun., 1919-10-23

Government ownership while avoiding
the many disadvantages Of Government
ownership.
zone of the most important features
Is the advance In dealing with water
transportation. II Is declared the ma
tionaI policy to encourage water trans
portation. and accordingly the Interstate
Commission Is required to famllarize
itself with facilities for water commerce
and given power to bring about the CO.
ordination OF water and rail facilities.
This goes even to the extent Of investi-
eating types of boats adapted for vari-
Gus services. requiring establishment of
water terminals where they will be con-
venient also to the railroads and OF CO.
operating with communities which desire
to establish water terminals, concentrate
their dock facilities and the like.
Relations with Shipping.
Another very important advance con-
ccrns relations of the railroads with
maritime shipping. The Shipping Board
Is about establishing a large number Of
routes for sailing ships In foreign COM
merce. Heretofore interior communities
have had no touch with and practically
no knowledge of the conditions of over
seas shipments. The committee has un-
dertaken to make II as easy for the in
terior shipper to get overseas service as
for communities on the seaboard Every
ocean carrier under the American flag
must file a schedule Of the routes. sail
ing dates, rates ana charges of every
boat It operates with the Interstate Com
merce Commission. The commission
shall publish the substance of all these
schedules and provide this publication to
all agents OF the railroad companies.
The cost of the transfer from rail to
boat Is hereafter to be absorbed by the
railroad carriers under rules fixed by the
commission. The railroad shall issue a
through bill of lading, showing the cost
OF the rail and water services separately.
The railroad is required to deliver the
freight; on board the boat.
'The legislation dealing with settle
ment of labor troubles undertakes to
create by permanent law substantially
the same machinery for handling these
disputes that Is now in effect for the pc
riod ot-Federal railway operation. The
Railway Transportation Board Is given
the final determination In case of dis
agreement This Is complete authority
as to all disputes over wages, working
conditions and the like. The plan Of
boards of adjustment and committees on
wages and working conditions now oper-
ating under the Railway Administration
is continued for handling these disputes
In the future. These boards are COM
posed Of equal numbers Of representa-
tives Of the unions of employees and the
companies, They will consider all dis
putes and II possible settle them by
agreement II they fail the Railway
Transportation Board has final authority.
Antf-Strtke Action.
"'r'e anti-strike provisions make 1t
unlawful for two or more employees ir
connection with a dispute over anything
that is subject to settlement through
thts plan TO agree together ITO prevent
the operation OF trains and railway SER
vice. or to hinder the operation OF these
This applies to officers, directors, man
ayers agents, attorneys or employees OF
the carriers. To aid, abet, induce or
procure any act looking TO the hindrance
of railway service in these circumstances
Is made misdemeanor punishable by
$500 fine or six months Imprisonment,
or both The committee takes the view
that II should mot prohibit strikes
without at the same time providing a
method by which the Government will
assume the responsibility for the Just
settlement of disputes which may lead
to strikes.
Tho long and, short haul clause was
the subject OF long discussion In the
committee. Senator Poindexter (Wash }
urged an amendment absolutely forbid
ding higher charge for a shorter than
for a longer haul the shorter haul being
entirely included within the longer. This
WAS voted down. and the committee sub
stituted a provision that the Interstate
Commerce Commission may authorize
the greater charge for the shorter haul
after proper hearing and determination,
but that In granting this privilege no
charge shall be made for a haul to or
from the more distant points that is not
fairly compensatory. In the past II has
been the practice of the roads to haul
the long distance business. when neces-
sary- to meet competition, at a rate
merely sufficient to meet the out of
pocket expense of the service. The sub
stitution for this practice of the require
ment that the rate charged shall be
fairly compensatory will to a consider
able extent overcome the objections
which intermediate points have in the
past raised.
1T is also provided that when a cir
cuitous and longer route is permitted to
make between two terminal points the
shorter route between the same routes
the longer route shall not be permitted
to make rates TO Intern edlate points on
Its lines within the distance of the
shorter route higher than its terminal