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Show j Interstate Commerce Commission R e p o r ts Against Restoration of Individual Competition. Lays Down Questions to Be Considered if Gov-e Gov-e r n m e nt Ownership Should Be Adopted. WASHINGTON", Dec. 3. Regardless of whether railroads finally go back to private management or remain in the hands of the government radical changes should be made in' their methods meth-ods and theories of operation to provide a iar(ial merger under sonic sort of government regulation, the interstate commerce commission say's in its an-. an-. rural report made public today. The commission believes tho time is not ripe lo recommend concrete proposals pro-posals for legislation relating to the future jiolicy toward radroadi, but says whatever bo the nation's decision, there should be provision fur complete unification unifi-cation of the railways in war-time, partial par-tial merger in ordinary times, limitation of railway construction to public necessity, neces-sity, and systematic encouragement of tho development of inland waterways and their co-ordination with rail carriers. car-riers. 1 OPPOSE RESTORATION TO OLD CONDITIONS. In other words, the commission is opposed op-posed to restoration of tho old conditions condi-tions of individual competition, in which pooling of traffic was forbidden by law, ami to the building of new lines without proof to the government that they are economically necessarv. If it is finally decided to restore railroads rail-roads to private management, says the commission, there should be legislation to permit their Co operation, emancipation emancipa-tion of railway operation from financial dictation, government regulation of security se-curity issues; clearing away of the existing ex-isting twilight zones between the authority au-thority of state and federal authorities in railroad supervision; efficient use of equipment and common use of terminals. On the other hand, if the policy of government ownership should be adopted, adopt-ed, the principal questions to be considered con-sidered are: The juice to be paid for the roads: 'means of preventing the railroads from being made sources of revenue, to t bu' government, and also to maintain Them as self-supporting-measures to define carefully the responsibility respon-sibility of the railway administration to congress and other federal and state authorities: guarantees against intrusion intru-sion of partisan politics into railway management, and creation of a tribunal looking to settlement of controversies over railroad matters. FIVE ALTERNATIVES OF FUTURE POLICY. Some sort of government rculation is suggested by the commission"iu connection con-nection with each of the five alternatives alterna-tives of future policy which mav be set forth by different interests in the near future. These alternatives are: Con-i tiniialion of the present svStem of gov-1 cinment control with private ownership- 1 public ownership with private operation; j private operation with government res:' ' illation ami guarantee?; complete pri-1 vale civntrol and ownership, ami com- plete public, ownership and operation. ' The report deals at length with the j upheaval of railroad relations caused 1 by the war and the government's as-! sumption of operation, and the.rolations I of the interstate commerce commission to riirei-lnr General Me.Vloo and the railroad administration. The eomnii!.;- ' sion lias co-operated f:i!!y with (he env-! eminent nuiiin-enient. says the re-Tort i hut the conimision still retains its nn- i t hori I .v to review rales initiated bv the ; dire. -tor genera!. , Kaiiroad valuation work of the com- i mission, whii h will become r-f gieat. ini-: portnnce in ease ot government purchase, pur-chase, is proceeding with little inter- ' t'.'renee 0!1 account of the war. afetv cork has been assumed partly bv the' railroad administration, but ednr-atioaal ' work is being rontinne,! throughout the' coiintrv. The i-nm in i s si on in tin' la st i and has u uor-rt k en a i,:iu,hrr m' other iir. estigations ot rates an, prartires. 1 The report. ii:rh:riiig the statement j (Continued on Page Two. I OPPOSE HER RAILWAY POLICY (Continued from Page One.) concerning future policies toward railroads, rail-roads, is signed by all the commissioners, commission-ers, except George W. Anderson, who recently resiguqd to accept another federal fed-eral appointment. Others are : Win-throp Win-throp M. Daniels, chairman; Edgar 1'. Clark, James S. Harlan, Charles 0. .Mr-Chord, .Mr-Chord, Balthasar U. Meyer, Henry C. Hall, Clyde B. Aitchiaon and Bobert W. Wooley. The commission's statement on the future of the railroads follows: In dealing with the question of what may be done with the railroads In the future, the interstate commerce commission, commis-sion, in its annual report to the congress today, says: ' "The conditions, without precedent or parallel, which the war has produced, now press tupon the congress matters ot the gravest national and international , concern. ''While we do not deem the present conditions and moment opportune in which to recommend concrete proposals ; for legislation, we may indicate certain ; lines of inquiry which must be pursued in i order to reach sound conclusions. I '"Whatever line of policy is determined ; upon, the fundamental aim or purpose ehould be to secure transportation sys-; sys-; terns that will be adequate for the na-j na-j tion's needs even in time of national ; stress or peril and that will furnish to i the public safe, adequate and efficient i transportation at the lowest cost consisl-i consisl-i ent with that service. To this end -there i should be provision for (1) the prompt 1 merger without friction of all the carriers' car-riers' lines, facilities and organizations into a continental and unified system m time of stress or emergency; (2) merge; I within proper limUs uf the carriers' lines I and facilities in such part and to such j extent as may be necessary in the gen- eral public interest to meet the reasonable demands of our domestic and , foreign commerce; (3) limitation of railway construction con-struction to the necessities and convenience con-venience of the government and of the public, and assuring construction to. the ! point of these limitations; and 4) development de-velopment and encouragement of inland waterways and co-ordination of rail and water transportation systems. Among Plans Proposed. "Among the plans which doubtless will be proposed are the following: tl) Continuance Con-tinuance of the 'present plan of federal control; (2-) public ownership of carrier property with private operation under regulation 3 private operation under regulation with governmental guarantees; guaran-tees; (4) resumption of private control and management under regulations, and (; public ownership and operation. Additional Addi-tional plans and modifications or com- binations of those enumerated might be I listed. ' "If the policy of private ownership and operation under regulation is continued, the following subjects will require legislative legis-lative consideration: (1) Revision of limitations upon united or co-operative activities among common carriers by rail or by water; (2) emancipation of railway operation from financial dictation; dicta-tion; (&J regulation of issues of securities; (4) establishment, of a relationship between be-tween federal and state authority which will eliminate the twilight zone of jurisdiction juris-diction and under whicli a harmonious rate structure and adequate service can be secured, stale and interstate; (o) restrictions re-strictions governing the treatment of competitive as compared with noncompetitive noncom-petitive traffic; (6) the most efficient utilization of equipment and provision for distributing the burden of furnishing equipment on an equitable basis among the respective carriers; (7) a more liberal lib-eral use of terminal facilities in the interest in-terest of free movement of commerce, and (8) limitations within which common carrier facilities and services may be furnished by shippers or receivers of freight. . .- Points for Consideration. "Shoud the policy of public ownership and operation be adopted, there must 'be considered: (I) The just and fair price at whicli, and the terms under which, carrier properties are to be acquired; (2) prohibiting the operation of railways as a fiscal contrivance, insuring their administration ad-ministration In the interests of tho convenience con-venience nnd commerce of the people, requiring re-quiring that they shall be self-supporting, and that their rates shall be properly related re-lated to the ascertained cost of service, and retaining and extending the economies econo-mies and advantages of targe-scale production pro-duction in transportation; (IS) responsibility responsi-bility and relationship of the railway administration ad-ministration to congress and other fed-i fed-i era! authorities and to the states; (0 ! guarding against the intrusion of party politics into railway management; (-j) a status for railway officers and employees under which the railway service will (it-tract (it-tract and retain the best talent, and (fit maintenance of a tribunal for the determination deter-mination of controversies which will inevitably in-evitably arise e en under public opera -Moii. "The above outline is a mere enumeration enumera-tion of some important points to be considered. con-sidered. We will at an appropriate time report to congress etu-h Information, suggestions sug-gestions or recommendations as we believe be-lieve may be of assistance in solving the many and difficult transportation .problems." |