Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-07

The beginning Of a new public policy
toward the railroads Is seen by news
paper observers in the Interstate Com
merce Commissions approval Of leases
through which the New York Central
simplifies relations with two important
links in its system, the Michigan Cen
trail and the Big Four. 1t Is recognized
however, that much remains to be done
before the way ismopened for the COM
prehensive consultations OF which
railroad financiers and operators dream.
obviously the day Of the small rail-
road is passing" the Louisville Courier
Journal declares. 'Only here and
there can short lines survive, and then
only as integral parts Of larger systems
A vast economic necessity makes these
consultations imperative. Small, run
down railroads cannot compete with
the bus, the truck, the private passen-
ger automobile and the airplane. Only
the prosperous carrier Is able to offer
luxuries, refinementS OF service, speedy
travel. The railroads must form
themselves into compact units, aban-
doning every unnecessary mile OF track
and forcing every piece of rolling stock
to do more work than it has done be-
fore"
The effect Of the decision on the
general situation Is considered by the
Utica Observer Dispatch, with the con-
cluSion that sit cannot be said that
approval by the commission of this
simple merger goes far toward paving
solicitations plan" AS to the New York
Central, however, that paper says,
with the necessity removed Of keeping
income and outgo, for the different
lines, separate, the Central will be able
to effect economies not only in account
ing, but also in more unified use Of the
physical properties than has been pos
Sible under stock control alone"
Emphasizing the point that the gen.
eral plan for American rail consolida-
lions still hangs fire." the New York
Evening World makes the comment:
1.-THE commission continues to wait on
Congress for needed changes and Con-
gresS still fails to act. The present step
| Is forward, but subject to future amend
ment. It will enable the Central further
to unity its system and reduce overhead
costs. But it leaves most of the tribu-
tary short lines out in the cold and it
was a primary purpose of the CONSOLE
dations plan to combine the weak roads
in given territory with the strong, that
all might live and prosper equally. Con-
solidation still awaits a real beginning"
From the difficulties being encoun-
tered, it is clear that realization of
Congress idea for complete grouping
of all the railroads into comparatively
few systems is something for the still
distant future" declares the st. Paul
Pioneer Press, with the comment on
the conditions aside from the case Of
the New York Central: This case does
not seem to furnish any index to the
action the commission will take In the
pending application of the Northern
Pacific, the Great Northern and the
Burlington to unity. The question Of
unification in the case Of the NorthernS
not present in the New York Central
plan or had only insignificant bearing
Among such considerations most i'm
portant are maintenance of utmost
possible competition among the carriers
of given territory. and precaution
against grouping all the strongest lines
together, leaving the weaker ones to
shift for themselves"
Competition is supposed to be the
life of trade" replies the Ann Arbor
Daily News to those who SO argue, "but
1t has worked out badly for some rail-
roads and as a consequence the travel
ing ana shipping pubic mas suffered
For railroads that ara not Self-support-
ing cannot be expected to provide the
maximum of service or convenience for
their patrons. It is questionable
whether one vast railway system would
be desirable development Neverthe-
| less, 1t Is time some of the loose strings
were gathered together and a great
variety Of inconsistencies ard duplica-
| tons removed"
IAN idea has developed during the
| last several years. and perhaps not
without foundation" remarks the New
York Sun. that the commission was
content to be obstructive In the matter
10 Hn.l