The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-25

URGES UNIFTCATION
SCHEME FOR ROADS
Nathan l.. Amster Womb
Have Few Corporations and
Grouped Regionally.
CALLS 1T "PEOPLE'S PLANE
Proposal Calls for Government
Charters and All Interests
in Management.
CALLS 1T "PEOPLE'S PLANE

LAKE MoHoNE, May 24.-Members n,
Group Of the New York State Bantors
Association, in conference here TO-DAY.
were urged to support plan for ,hs
solution OF the railroad problem, ~
volving uniflcation Of the different sys.
TENS OF tho country into a unitaa
number Of corporations. grouped region.
ally, with Federal charters and manar..
ment vested In representatives of secur.
ity owners, shippers, employees. farmer,
and the general public.
The plan wac advocated by Nathan
l.. Amster of Boston, president OF a..
Citizens National Railroads League an
organization which numbers among n,
advisers Governors and former Governors
of several States, public service and rail-.
road commissioners. college President,
leaders of national womons organizn.
lions. railroad security owners ana
prominent men and women representing
every State.
Our league at the proper time ia
going to have its representatives TO
Washington to demand a settlement OF
the railroad problem, not TO suit any
special interest, but in the best interest
OF the whole people," declared MI
Amster. Every walk in life. every ele-
ment which has any direct or indireci
concern about the future OF rairoad
transportation Is represented in our
organization. We have merged inter
ests. We want a square deal for the
owners of the roads and also for the
shippers and the employees and the
people who ride on the trainE.
For years the owners OF the rail.
IL l,a. % hAA Ia.,
dea, at the hands Of the people who
ran the roads or the Government. Til.
roads have been compelled TO furnish
transportation without decent compensa.
.tion without consideration for the CAPT.
tai actually invested. That condition
has to be corrected. Then we haye
compelled the roads to compete, and that
has entailed waste, n large portion Of
which expense has been levied on TIE
commerce of the country.
The Peoples Plan calls Cor uniaca-
ton, with regional grouping, each re
gioral corporation having a Federal
| charter, management by boards com.
posed of representatives of the security
| owners, employees shippers. farmers
| and the general public. service at c7st
| which must include costs of operation
plus provision for maintenance. improve
| ments and reasonable interest on the
money actually invested in the railroads
Our plan asks also for real valuation
| Some insist that the roads arc over.
capitalized. I don't believe It. But
let's find out. Then We can fix rates
equitably. and none can find fault with
them. because they will be reasonable
and fair.
| This is the peoples problem and We
have got to treat It as such. That is
what we must impress upon our repre-
sertatives III Congress. That is what
our league Is going to make perfectly
| clear"
| G T. Townsend, president of the Mo-.
chants National Bank of Middleton.
n. Y, gave notice that he will intro
duce, at the close of the conference, a
resolution indorsing the Peoples Pan.
ami asking the State association which
holds its annual convention at AlhaN'
next month, 10 go on record in conf
nendation OF the league. Mr.. Townsend
is a member OF the country bankers
group on the advisory council Of t7a
league.