Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-01
Interstate Commerce Com.
mission Members Divided on
Consolidation Proposals.
VIRGINIA MAY OPPOSE
TENTATIVE SET-UP
Disposition of Western Maryland
and Virginian May Prove
Knotty Problem.
BY J. A. FOX.

When the Eastern railroad executives
come before the Interstate Commerce
Commission with their proposition for
grouping their lines into four great sys-
TENS they bid fair to be confronted
with two major propositions, as far a.
the public's side of the case-as repre-.
sented by the Governments concerned.
First and foremost is that In the
commission, which has final say. there
are at least three schools Of thought
as TO consolidation IN general, and the
Eastern region consolidation in par
ticular.
Commission Divided on Number.
Secondly. and this on the basis Of
unofhcial advices as to their projected
disposition, two of the smaller units.
the Virginian and Western Maryland,
seem certain to prove bones of con-
tention Of no mean proportion In set
ting up such competitive systems as
the commission will aim at.
AS to the first. the commission has
been divided before on the number of
oye.snlS W NC eeCdDLISneu, ana tnere Is
good reason to suppose that this Diff
ference of opinion still exists.
In the second place, the tentative
set-up reported out Of New York Fro
vtdeS for retention by the Baltimore &
Ohio Of the Western Maryland, which
certainly goes counter to the desires
Of the commission, and splits the Viz
ginian between the Van Sweringen and
Pennsylvania interests, by alloting It,
respectively, to the Chesapeake & Ohio
and Norfolk & Western, which Is going
to draw opposition, it is known, not
only In the commission itself, but In
all probability from the State Of Viz
ginia also.
In both cases the cry Of destroying
competition" Is sure to be raised. but,
paradoncally enough, In the interest
the Western Maryland.
Entry TO Baltimore souRhG
The Baltimore d Ohio already has,
Deen ordered BY the commission to
diveSt itself Of its Western Maryland
noiding which = wanted BY the Van
SWer1ngenS to link up with their system
IN Pennsylvanis, and give them enf-y
to the port Of Baltimore,
IN TINS connection, 1t was pointed out
interestingly enough, but only Is ny
Potnetical proposition, that II the Van
SWer1ngenS got the Western Maryland,
they could, by acquiring the electric line
between here and Baltimore-the Wash
mgton, Baltimore 81 AnnapoliS-link up
with the Eastern terminus Of their
Chesapeake g. Ohio here (Alexandria),
completing another direct route to tide.
water, the whole system strengthening
by that much and breeding more COM
petition for the Pennsylvania and Ball
timore g. Ohio.
he
deemed sure to be advanced for con-
sideration would be linked with the New
York Central, giving that system access
to the great West Virginia coal fields,
such as the Pennsy, B. g. o. and Van
Sweringens have, and thereby further
increasing competition in this general
area. The New York Central already
has been authorized to bridge the Ohio
River to connect with the Virginian at
its Eastern terminus, certainly indicat-
ing some support by the railroads them
selves for a different arrangement for
the Virginian than that reported.
Parallel Case is Seen.
Linking it with the Van Sweringen-
Pennsylvania interests, 1t is pointed out.
would add nothing to those lines which
already have access to the West Wiz.
GINA coal fields and as a matter Of
fact, would provide for an arrangement
so far as these roads are concerned
that would seem to parallel the situa-
ton of the Baltimore & Ohio and
Western Maryland, where the order for
the former to divest itself of its hold
ings in the latter is based on the con-
tention that the two are parallel COM
peting lines.
In connection with the Virginian and
Western Maryland, it is interesting to
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