Salt Lake Telegram | 1932-04-16 | Page 2 | Four System Rail Backers Demand Haste

FOUR SYSTEM RAIL BACKERS DEMAND HASTE Attorneys Urge Prompt Consummation Con Con- Consummation Consummation summation of Consolidation Consolida Consolida- tion Program By Bi Associated WASHINGTON April 16 16 Attorneys nes ne's for tor the proponents of eastern east cast em ern system four railroad consolidation consolida consolida- tion plan today stressed to the interstate interstate inter- inter state slate commerce commission the urgent importance of hastening consolidation In a page brief brier reviewing in detail the plan broached b by the Chesapeake Chesapeake peake Ohio Baltimore Ohio Pennsylvania and New York Central systems for creating four great railroad railroad rail rail- road systems In the cast attorneys for or three of the applicants pointed to failure allure of recapture provisions of the 1920 transportation act as one of the reasons for tor speed The New York Central l was not among the signers of the brief briet It lis is felt the document set forth this that the time has arrived when matter should be promptly settled 1 if possible We are arc facing difficult conditions conditions con con- which cannot be met by hesitation hesi hesi- tation lalion or solved salved by way of at uncertainly uncertainty and confusion Other proposals proposals proposals pro pro- may be easily set up up-on up on paper But this Is the only proposal yet made which has the essential and persuasive merit of reasonably assured fulfilment fulfil fulfil- i men ment I. I RECAPTURE FAILS The provision for recapture as a means of adjusting the earning power as between the weaker and stronger systems pending consolidation said the brief has obviously failed of its purpose It Is therefore a matter mailer of urgent importance that thai consolidations be made effective with the least practicable delay Otherwise the confusion confusion sion zion incident to lo the present period of transition and the partial consolidations consolida consolidations of ot groupings which have already al alA already ready been made will vill result in increased in increased in in- creased demoralization of our trans trans- service and may endanger the entire policy of at the transportation tion act act An intensive interpretation of the purposes of or this ac act y passed parsed in 1920 was Included The law said the brief sought to build upon past experience and in the light of that thai experience to lo anticipate as far as possible the problems lems hems incident to lo postwar readjust readjust- ments It was founded on the theory of ol the tile essential economic unity of the countr country It sought to establish the national character o of our lion tion agencies Though the law was sound In its essential principles experience has has' demonstrated that it was defective in some particulars MUCH TO BE DONE Much remains to be done The laws and regulations must be adapted to ever changing conditions the Various various various va va- rious agencies of transportation must be coordinated and placed under sim- sim similar liar ilar control and regulation where the law is weak or Inadequate it must be strengthened But But the the benefIcial beneficial benefi benefI- beneficial cial purposes of the act can be The provision for the consolidation consolida consolida- tion lion of ot the railroads of the continental lal tal United States into inlo a limited number number num nurn- ber of or fairly balanced systems was the general feature around which the entire plan of the act was vas constructed It was recognized that thai this would reQUire require require re re- re- re quire some time The bill as it passed the senate provided for compulsory consolidation after seven years This was stricken out in conference but butt it ft t was an indication of the time tin within which it was expected that this policy might be carried into effect