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Show NEW HEARINGS ON RAIL MERGER INTERSTATE COMMERCE DOARD TO RE8UME.6E8SION8 ON PRO. POSED CONSOLIDATION Controversy On Dlsolutlon of 8. p. and C. P. Lines Likely to Do Reopened; Nineteen Systems Sys-tems Proposed Washington. Tho interstnto com-morco com-morco commission is prapalng for resumption re-sumption of hearings on tho Important Import-ant lssuo of consolidating tho railroads rail-roads ot tho United States into a limited number of systems. Tho com. missions ttntntlvc plan contemplates the creation of nlnotccn systems, Into which would bo Incorporated nil tho railroads of tho country. Henry C. Hall, tho commissioner directly di-rectly in charge of tho consolidation problem, is now planning a series ot hearings to bo hold In tho far west, to begin noxt month. Tho initial hearings hear-ings hold by tho commission havo deult i with the throo consolidated systems proposed for tho Bouthoast. Tho ma. Jolty ot tho main lines that would bo affected by tho proposals for that region Wthor ontored violent protests or suggested different consolidations. I Tho controversy resulting from tho ordor of tho supremo court of tho United States directing dlsolutlon of tho Southern Pacific and Central Pacific Pa-cific propotles will be Injected Into tho hearings to bo held by the commission. com-mission. Advocats for continuation of tho morgor of tho Southern Pacific nnd Central Pacific Urns nnd proponents ot a dissolution of tho properties nnd a merger of tho Central Pacific with the Union Pacific havo waged battlo evor sinco tho supromo court hnndod down Its doclslon. An Interesting feature of tho situation situa-tion is that the commission, in Its tentatlvo plan, put tho Control Pacific with tho Southorn Pacific, while Pro. fossor lllploy, who proparod the report re-port from which tho commission mado its tentative plan, thought tho Ccn-trrul Ccn-trrul Pacific should bo linked with tho Union Pacific. , Tho California Producers & Ship-pors' Ship-pors' association has boon nctivo in opposing consolidation of the Central Pacific with tho Southorn Pacific and Is urging that tho decision of tho su-promo su-promo court he carried out. This organisation has lssuod Btatomonts frrom which tho Infrrcnco hns been drawn thnt It believes that tho Inter-stato Inter-stato commerco commission will bo bound by tho doclslon of tho supremo court nnd forced to dlvorco the Central Cen-tral Pacific from tho Southorn Pa-ciflc Pa-ciflc In any consolidation plan dovfsod for tho railroads In the far west. Against that point of vlow Is tho bollof on the part of mony that tho transportation act gives the Intorstata commerce commission tho authority, in adopting a plan for consolidations, to disregard tho untltrtist statutes ot which tho supreme court based Its doclslon in tho Southern Poclflc.Ccn-trul Poclflc.Ccn-trul Pacific antitrust case. It is con-celvahlo con-celvahlo that tho commission could form a systom of roads In tho West which would lnc-ludo tho Southorn Pacific Pa-cific and tho Central Pacific, Commercial organizations in towns and titles served by tho Union Pacific Pa-cific In tho weBtorn Btatos havo fllod many of thoso petitions. Commorclal organization In the central part ot California havo adoptod resolutions fa-voting fa-voting a continuation ot thq merger, whllo similar organizations in northern north-ern California havo waged an nctlvi battlo for dlvoroemont of tho Central Iftiolflc from tho Southern PaelfJr |
