Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-09
Discussion of Rail Mergers
Shows Wide Public Support

Hoover said It provided for the pro-
lection of the interests of the employees,
with full consideration of the interests
OF communities and the protection of
the public interest. But labor is con-
cerned about merger of shops and ter
minals which might involve a reduce
ton of the force of employees. Sena-
tors Couzens of Michigan and Wheeler
Of Montana both cite the proposed
Northern Pacific and Great Northern
merger, saying that if the Eastern mef-
ger is like that they cannot support it.
Senator Wheeler's statement that it is
up to the railroads to prove that their
plan is In the public interest and would
care for the employees does not appear
to be unreasonable"
whether or not the plan adopted
shall prove to be ideal and wholly sat-
lstactory," says the Philadelphia Eve
ming Bulletin, 'it may be assumed that
it will bring some advantages. Presi-
dent Hoover is credited with an ex-
preston of approval. He had urged
the railroad interests to get together
and work out their problem. Appar-
emily, under the reported agreement.
all hands get some of what thew
wanted" The Fort Worth Star-Tele-
gram offers this view of the situation:
'Mantestly, the railroads cannot loei-
cally seek relief legislation In Congress
without first doing what they can them
selves through sound consolidation to
etfect economies and service improve
ment. The realization of this situation
is very general among the railroads a
held where management has attained a
degree of perfection not approached in
any other field
1.-THE desire to combine those four
systems springs from the necessity of
making some move that will result in
more economical operation" according
TO the Little Rock Arkansas Democrat.
While the Terre Haute Star is i'm
pressed by the fact that 'it will lead
10 economies in operation and viii
make possible progress that is not at
Lalnaole under present conditions" The
st. Louis Globe-Democrat, referring
10 the transportation act of 1920 holds
that nothing in this decade has trans
plred 10 alter the general soundness of
pohcy expressed in that act" The
Houston Chronicle finds Satisfaction
tnat at last, it seems, accomplishment
on this far-reaching and most in1nor-
tant problem is under way"
In condemnation of those who would
oppose the merger plan, the Buffalo
evening News maintains that "as So
CIety IS now organized, EMPLOYMENT
cannot be promoted unless Investment
OF capital is encouraged by reasonable
protlts'; that dishonest and excessive
business profits by corporations operat-
ing under Government franchises are
a proper subject of legal restraint. but
IL IS gross distortion of this principIe
10 treat proftmaking as if it were dis
honest in itself" The Importance of
from other forms of trans
portatlon as a means of bringing about
the agreement is emphasized by the
Utica Observer-Dispatch and the De-
troit News.
THAT it has taken 10 years even for
this preliminary STEP" according to the
san Francisco Chronicle, illustrates
the difficulties in the way of the nrac-
tlcal realization of a policy to which
the railroads are urged by their own
interest, public sentiment and the man
date of Congress. That the grouninU
now outlined does not conform to the
plan suggested by the Interstate Com
nerce Commission is probably no SIR
prise to the commission itself, which
offered its own suggestions frankly IN
The hope of stimulating action bv the
railroads. The commission presented a
picture OF what might be done rather
-han program to be rigidly followed"