The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-02-29

direction 20 the comm ission to pre-
scribe rate sufficient TO admit % the
payment OF the reasonable operating
expenses, including OF course. "A fair
rate of wage.
MY hopes are that the putting
into effect these provisions with
carefully selected board whose public
representatives can be relied upon to
be fair to labor and 90 appreciate the
point OF view OF labor that Il Is no
longer 10 be considered as "A moro
commodity, will mark the beginning
OF n new era of better Understanding
Abctwecn the railroad management
and their employees, and will furnish
additional safeguards to the just in
tercs,s of vailroad labor.
81 am sure that every agency
which will he involved Ia the crea-
ton OF the labor board and In the
conduct OF negotiations fully appre-
ciates that the wage demands are
entitled to the earliest possible con-
sideration and disposi ion and there
fore do not anticipate denv In the
appointment and organization OF
labor board or in the other necessary
steps"
Investing Mr.. Hines with the pow
ers granted 20 the president hy the
bill, Mr. Wilson made onNexception.
The president will, himself. later
name the agent or agency OF the
government against whom suit may
be brought to satisfy claims arising
out OF government control OF the
railroads ~ pro, ided in section 2Ob
OF the act
At 1901 A. m. Monday the gov
ernmcnt will hand over to their
owners 10000 miles OF main line
railroad and terminals and equip
ment valued at approximately 500
900. 900 900 over which pe direct
authority has been extended since
December 2S, 1917.
Tho properties will 20 back, leaV-
ing the government with a deficit of
S715,OO0, 600 for It's 20 months OF OPP
Grafton But while tho deficit APP
peared large. federal operation has
cost the public considerably less un-
der the conditions through rates and
taxes, that would have been the case
under private control" Director
General Hines declared in n resume
Of government control
Mr.. Hines believed that both the
nation and railroads gained bcne-
fits OF lasting character from the
period OF unified operation. In ad-
dition to betiermcnts which he be
neNeu nad Decn accom- pllsneu MI
Hines said the rail lines were In q
position to better operate their prop
critics and to improve facilities. His
statement also dealt with results di-
rectly obtained through operating
the reads as a unit. 1T made prac-
ticablo a war transportation Service
which could not otherwise have been
obtained, he said.
Answering directly assertions that
the roads would be returned
wrecked" Mr.. Hines declared they
would be restored in condition
which compares favorably" with
| that in which they were taken over
and in his opinion in better shape to
meet demands upon them than they
would have been after two years un-
| der private management. The ad-
ministration. he said. had made ev-
| ery effort to observe the contractural
obligation TO maintain the properties
in substantially az good condition as
il received them. He pointed TO
the expenditures of approximately
1920, 600. 900 for improvements, and
rebuilding as proof Of this.
The government bought for the
roads a total of 100000 freight cars
| and 1880 locomotives. While this is
'below normal purchases for n like