New Britain herald., 1919-08-12
CHAMBER TAKES UF
 R. R. LEGISLATION
Local Organization Considering Proposals by National Chamber

 dunn on remedial railroad legislation issued by the national chamber ot commerce and given to New Brltan through the local chamber of com merce the following program of rail- road legislation has been adopted ana will be recommended to the commit tee of the national chamber.
 In view of the determined attitude of the labor unions of the country in support of the so-called Plumb plan of government ownership it is import ant that every chamber of commerce actively support the ascertained opln- ion of the national chamber on this subject.
 The following legislation is urged by the chamber of commerce of the United States:
 The chamber of commerce of the United States urges
 Corporate Ownership and Operation.
 Adherence to the policy of corporate ownership and operation of the rail- roads under a comprehensive system of government regulation.
 Prompt Return of Roads to Owners.
 Return of the railroads to their owners as soon as remedial legislation can be enacted and no extension of the period of government operation unless and until congress shall have found it impossible to enact the re- uuired legislation within the period possible under the railroad control act. Consolidation In Strong Competing
 Systems.
 Permission for the railroads, the public interest, when so declared and as approved by public authority, to consolidate to such extent and in such manner as may be necessary to en- able the existing railroads to unite in a limited number of strong competing systems, so located that each of the principal traffic centers of the country shall if possible, be served by more than one system.
 Corporations to Be Subject to the
 United States.
 That railroad companies enga ging in interstate commerce be required to change from state to federal corpora tions, with suita ble provisions in the act of congress providing therefor that the several states shall retain the power of taxation and police regula- ton of the railroad properties. Federal Regulation of Capital Expen-
 diturcS and Security Issues. That the interstate commerce com mission, or such federal agency as may be designated by congress, be authorized. to pass upon the public l necessity for expenditures of capital in excess of a stipulated amount by ! carriers engaged in interstate com- merce, and to determine the amount and to regulate the other conditions of the issuance of securities to obtain 1 the funds required to cover authorized 1 capital expenditures; that a railroad 1 applying to the federal agency for au- l thority to make capital expenditures, l or to issue securities, be required to 1 file with the proper authorities of the l states in which the railroad is located, l copies of the original petition; and ] that the federal agency be required 1 to notify the state authorities of the l hearings upon the petition, in order 1 that they may advise the federal 1 agency as to actions they favor. | Federal Regulation of Interstate 1
 Rates Affecting Interstate
 Commerce. That the interstate commerce com mission be given authority by statute l to regulate interstate rates, wben 1 those rates affect interstate commerce. l Ratemaking by Interstate Commerce
 Commission. Enactment of a statutory rule pro- viding that railroad rates and fares l authorized by the interstate commerce commission shall be designated to l yield the railroad companies, in each l of the traffic sections that shall be des- ignated by the commission, aggregate l revenues which will provide (after 1 allotment has been made for renewals ] and depreciation) such net return 1 upon fair value (determined by pub l lie authority of the property devoted l to the public use as will be sufficient l in amount to enable the carriers to ob- [ tain at reasonable cost the capital re- 1 quired to furnish the public with ade- Quate facilities and efficient and ecO- nOmical service Creation of Federal Transportation 1
 Board. Creation of a federal transpOrtation board whose general duty it shall be l to prom mOte the development of a na- 1 tional system of rail, water and eco nOmical use of all the facilities in cluding tracks, terminals and transfer facilities, of steam and electric roads waterways and hard-surface high 1 ways.