Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1920-03-05
al Lines Are Returned BY Gov
eminent and Pass Under Pri-
vate Management.
WILL COMPETE AGAIN
Corporations Free Except For Federal
Jurisdiction Under New Law
Hines Will Retain Office
Until May I.

Washington.-Ameri rail trans
portati0n system, operated as one
great public utility since December %,
1917, were again divided among their
230 respective corporate owners when
the government released control. Dr.
rector General Hines, as the agent of
the President, handed over the prop
critics and equipment, valued at ap-
proximately $4,000, 100000, to their
old direction, free except for the juris-
diction retained by the government in
the new railroad reorganization bill.
When all arrangements for formal
restoration of the carriers to their
owners were completed by Mr.. Hines,
instructions went out to operating rep
ersentatives Of the Railroad admins
tration informing them that they
would report to the proper officials
of the corporation which resume con-
troll at 1901 a. m. March l."
Cease to Function.
OF the gigantic organization created
by former Director General McAdoo
as a war time expedient only small
part will remain. Regional Officials,
federal managers and treasurers and
many high officials comprising the d.
rector generals staff have ceased to
function as such. Some of these have
gone back to their former places a.
officials of the corporations, while
others have entered into new lines of
endeavor.
Mr. Hines will continue in his pre-
sent capacity until about May 1. Al
though without any railroads to direct,
he still faces the settlement Of literal
ly thousands of claims, contracts and
grievances. Only lat of the 23o COM
pensation contracts with the corpora
lions actually were signed during the
government control, and the remain
der will continue to be the subject of
negotiations. Damage claims have
arisen of which many still are pend
ing. Labor has several thousand cases
before the government wage boards
and Mr.. Hines has assured the labor
spokesman these. will be concluded.
Some will require the payment Of re"
troactive wages, and others will mean
the establishment of Interpretation of
agreements which labor, Of course,
will refuse to have altered by the cor
porations. Many affect vitality impor-
tant questions from the labor view.
With the lines again under private
control, there will be almost immedi-
ately resumption of the days of
competition" Corporation heads have
been preparing for this for several
months. The various roads will at
tempt to divide again the business
which, has been. handled jointly during
federal control, reports Indicated.
Commerce Commission Enlarged.
The roads go back to private con.
troll under largely new negotiations.
The Railroad bill, signed by the Presi-
dent, gives the systems certain new
privileges, but as an Offset it enlarges
the Interstate Commerce commission,
both in power and personnel. The
corporations no longer are master
completely Of their bond issues, nor
are they allowed to stand solidly
against labor, for labor's demands, if
not met by arbitration and negotia-
ton between the parties concerned, go
to the high court provided in the bill
and on which sit, in addition to labor
and railroad representatives, public
representatives as we'll.