Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-03-15

remain. Very truly yours.
WILLIAM J. GRAHAM
lsply T. Bretherhsods.
March 10. 1900. C. Hick-
man. 1897 Seventeenth street, Rock
Island, Ill.
Dear Mr.. Hickman:
This will acknowledge receipt OF
your letter of March I. which l
have carefully read.
IN. OF course, glad to inform
you OF my attitude on the recent
railway legislation, commonly
known - the Cummins-Esch bill.
although. while the same was being
considered, on account Of the stress
OF my committee work, l took no
further part In the matter than to
cast my vote when the occasion
demanded 1t. l have always be-
lieved, however. that my constitu-
ents, or any of them are entitled at
all times to know my views on mat
tors Of pending legislation and for
this reason / have no hesitation in
telling you what my views are in
! the matter. l may 80 somewhat at
length into the matter, but this
feel to be necessary in order to ex-
plain the situation a. l saw it.
When we entered the war with
Germany We were asked by the
president q commander-in-chief oil
the army and navy to confer upon
him extraordinary and unusual
powers. the suggestion made BY
him and his advisers being that
without such extraordinary powers
he could not win the war. Among
other things he demanded the righ1
to take over the railroads If neees
sary, although 1t was suggested
when this matter was being con
sidered that it might not be neces
sary to invoke this power. An in
spection of the history of the coun
try disclosse that similar power
were given to Abraham Lincoln
, during the Civil war. Therefore
unless one was to take the chance O
doing something that might OBJ
. struct his country from being sue
cessful in the conflict, it was neces
sary to grant this power and t
trust to the administration to prop
erly execute it. / do not believe
nor have l ever believed, that !
was necessary or advisable for thu
government to take over the opera
ton of the railroads of the countr,
as q whole. However this may be
the administration did take over tn
/, railroad systems of the country an
, did operate them and by sue
operation not only were the peopl
involved in an immense expendi
ture Of money for the operation o
these raids, but it is claimed tina
the roads themselves were place.
in such condition that their credi
and ability to borrow money wa
practically destroyed.
The authority to take over tn
railroads in time OF war was con
ferred on the president by the &C
OF August 20, 1916, passed by tn
64th congress. which act empow
cred the president in time OF wa
to take possession and control O
any part Of the transportation sys
tens Of the country he desired
Following this act and almost i'm
mediately after the declaration Q
war. the president by proclamatio
took over the railroads Of tn
country. Afterwards, at the re
quest of the president and the ad
ministration. the 65th congress
passed an act to provide for tn
operation of transportation sys
tens while under federal contro
and by the 14th section of that az
it was provided: "The presider
may relinquish all railroads an
Isystem OF transportation under fec
eral control at any time he sha
\ deem such action needful or desil
able" Under this last provision {
law the president did proclaim thu
on the first Of March, 1920, he woul
relinquish control Of the railroad
Of the country.
There is no doubt among thos
who are best advised that this az
of the president was irrevocabl
and that even the president hin
self having once exercised tn
power he had under the act coul
not recall it
Left Two Alternatives.
After the issuance OF this pres
dental proclamation there wel
but two alternatives for congress
Either the railroads must be pei
mitted to 60 back to private owner
ship without any legislation, q
some legislation must be enacted
take care Of the situation. l hay
no doubt at all that legislation wa
necessary in order to keep the raj
i roads running after March l, an
to keep labor in many cases fro,
being unemployed.
Two propositions were presente
to the house by the committee o
interstate and foreign commerce, {
which am not member. One {
them was the Esch bill which pre-
vided for . sort Of compulsory arb
tration. The other was the Andel
son amendment offered by Repre-