The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-03-21
BETTER SERVICE.
BEING PLANNED
FOR RAILROADS.
Effort to Be Made to Place Them
Under Government
Supervision.
PROPOSAL is FROM
SECURITY OWNERS
Believed That the Plan Will
Save Millions of Dollars
Annually.
tsy The Associated Press,.

WASHINGTON, March 2O.-coordina-
tlon Of the facilities and service OF the
railroads of the country under strict
government supervision is proposed by
the National Association Of Owners of
Railroad Securities as a way out of the
present transportation crisis.
The plan will be submitted tomorrow
20 Chairman Cummings. OF the senate
interstate commerce committee, and s..
Davies Warfield. president of association,
announced today that representatives of
his organization would appear later be-
ore that committee TO urge its adop-
lion.
Mr.. Warfield says the plan will ensure
annual savings of millions of dollars, in
rease facilities and service and lower
abroad fares and rates. He adds that
American transportation has outgrown
The system under which IL now operates
md warns that the railroads must recog-
nize that only drastic measures on their
part will save them from being swal-
owed up in the Generalization that gov
rnment operation and after-war read
Iustment has brought upon them"
Unless intensive economical methods
N railroad administration are adopted"
he continued, there is no alternative
but government operation. followed by
government ownership, although the
country has given overwhelming evil
ience OF being opposed TO it,
The proposed plan is supplemental TO
provisions of the transportation act per-
hitting regional consolidation of physi-
cal properties by the interstate COM
nerce commission. Certain consolida-
lions OF railroads are necessary, Mr..
Warfield says. but an emergency now
exists and the public is entitled to
more immediate and substantial bene-
fits than can be derived from the great
physical consultations OF railroad
properties"
The proposed coordination would be
brought about through a national rail-
road service TO be organized by an act
Of congress and a national railroad SER
vice 20 be organized by an act of con-
gress and which also would be an agency
10 purchase cars and other equipment 10
be furnished TO the railroads without
profit The interstate commerce commits
sion would select five of its members
Who would constitute the service divi-
lion OF the national organization. This
division would have supervision and ini-
tiatory and regulatory powers to be ex-
ercised through the board Of the ma
tional railroad service.
The board would be composed of 40
members. sub divided into two divisions,
finance and administrative and railroad
officials OF 20 members each
Subordinate to the board would be
four group railroad boards, one in each
OF the four rail territories into which
the commission has divided the coun--
lry--eastern, southern, western and
mountain Pacific Each board would
consist OF seven members. five to be Sc
lected by the railroads Of each group
and two from the shippers located in
each group territory. The 20 railway Of
nclals serving on these four boards would
serve as the railway officials division
OF the national board.
The National Railroad Service Corpor-
alton recently organized by the Associa-
tion Of Security owners TO furnish
equipment TO the carriers by conditional
sale or lease would be superseded ly the
National Railway Service with extended
powers for financing and leasing equip
ment. The 20 trustees of the present
service corporation would serve as the
finance and administration division of
The national board.