The Washington times., 1921-05-21
RAIL PROBLEM
LOOMS[ARGER
Federal Control, New Cabinet
Chair, Three Avenues Open
For Its Solution.
By GEORGE HOLMES.
International News Service.

The railroad situation is becom-
ing SO acute and the problems pre-
sented by it so gigantic that the
highest officials of the Government
are beginning to entertain serious
doubts whether there is any govern
mental agency now existing that is
capable Of coping with it.
This means that something entire
ly new In the way of governmental
regulation of the nations carriers
may have to be evolved in order to
get the roads back to basis OF nor
malcy." Some suggestions along
these lines already have been pre-
sented to President Harding, and he
has them under consideration.
THREE AVENUES OPEN.
Many close students Of the rail-
road problem in Washington are
convinced that there are but three
avenues through which to approach
a solution Of the matter-l. Govern
ment ownership; 2. creation OF de-
partment of transportation with a
Cabinet oficer at Its head. or. 3.
broaden the powers of the existing
regulating agencies so that they can
control the situation with more Of
fciency than Is now apparent
Government ownership 10 anathema
to the present administration, and
its head shrinks away In horror from
the mere suggestion business 10
popularly supposed to be against Gov
ernment ownership: the Republican
party In its platform says II 10
against Government ownership, and
President Harding himself has fre-
quently stressed It's undesirability.
Government ownership ID, therefore,
held to be an impossible solution to
the present acute situation
too. against the creation Of any more
Cabinet positions. Tho Cabinet, ~
now composed, consists Of twelve
men. including tho President and Vice
President. and many believe that add
ing to this number would handicap
rather than facilitate the work Of
advising the President
The other alternative leads to
broadening the powers of existing
agencies az to invention. innovation
some new system which will do away
with the present structure of Gov
ernmental regulation, and erect In
Its stead = newer. more up-to-date.
better equipped machine for keeping
up the service and protecting the
common interest.
ADVOCATE BROADER POWERS.
The two agencies by which the
Government now endeavors to regu-
late the nations railroads are the
Interstate Commerce Commission and
tho Railway Labor Board. Tho Il. G.
c." a. It 10 populariy known, was
organized some years ago to protect
the shipping and investing public
from being bilked on rates and So
curities BY unscrupulous manipula~
tors The Railway Labor Board was
born amid the sxisencies Of war. with
an eye to the oft-recurrins menace
Commarce Commission deals with
rates and finance: the board with the
human side Of the railroad problem
wages, hours, employment, working
conditions and kindred maftsrA
In some Quartsrs II II bslisvsd
that the present powers Of these two
bodies can b % beoadsnsd and In
creased that thsy viii prove a. efn-
csct0us im the future ~ they have
been In ths past In other quar-
tsrs. howevSx. ths two bodies afs
contemptuously referred to a.
antique Junk. % restricted. 20
bound round with red tape and re-
tarded by petty hedsings Of law
that they never WIN be able to COPE
with the problems presented
1t 10 the view of this latter group
that both the L c. c. and the board
must be swept into the discard and
there must Be- created in their
stead some super-GoverntnS agency
with broad powers and increased
iatttnds in regulating Affairs. whsth-
or these Iattar views ultimately
win prevail II problematfcal, but
Senators, Congressmen and responsi-
BILE officials who have studied the
situation are agreed that tho present
state of affairs cannot continue long
and tNat something must b DONE
ACTION AWAITS INvEsTIGATIoN.
Tho Administration IL looking
forward to tho Senatorial investiga-
ton of the railroad situation, under
the leadership Of Senator Albert B.
Cummins of Iowa, with considsrabls
favor. Tho investigation viii at
least bring the plight Of the rail-
roads to the fore, It - felt.
Opinions vary ~ to the benefits
that may result from the inquiry.
II 10 pointed out that Congress has
done much investigating Of many
subjects In the past and thdt moth
ing very startling ever developed
therefrom. On the othsr hand. those
In favor of the Investigation feel
that It may at least bring to light
the serious defects In our present
system of regulating railroads. from
which constructive and remedial ac-
ton can be taken
SENATOR DEMANDS PR0OF