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Show GOVERNMENT MAY ,11 RAILROADS President to Go Before Congress Con-gress to Ask for Special Legislation. WASHINGTON, Dec 11. President Wilson will go to congress for special legislation to bring about unification of the railroads during tho war. The fact that the president has decided de-cided definitely on such a move became be-came known last night after he had gone over the whole transportation situation with Senator Newlands. chairman of the senate interstate commerce com-merce committee. Ho probably will ask for the legislation in ah address to be delivered before the Christmas holidays. Indications are that the president has cbnfided to none of his associates his full intention, and officials were doubtful as to just what he may ask. Some were of the opinion that he might request action in line with the suggestion of the interstate commerce commission that anti-trust and nntl-pooling nntl-pooling laws might be suspended dur-1 dur-1 ing tho war. Others pointed out that the commerce commission's report j also carried the suggestions that ad-d5tional ad-d5tional legislation might be needed were the government to decide to take over operation of the roads. The president's advisers are divided in their viows as to what is necessary to be done. Most of them, however, have come out for government operation, opera-tion, and some of the strongest supporters sup-porters of this proposal declare the executive already, under the army appropriation ap-propriation act, has power to take over the roads for operation under an administrator. ad-ministrator. The position of the railroads themselves them-selves was set forth in a letter to Senator Ncwlatfds from Fairfax Harrison, Har-rison, chairman of the railroad board. The railroads, Mr. Harrison declared, do not seek a repeal of any legislation, legisla-tion, believing the co-operative use of facilities recently put into operntion will bring about maximum efficiency. Neither do they seek a loan from the government, he said, though government govern-ment aid is asked in obtaining for them on their own individual credit new capital needed. Further measures to make the roads more efficient, Mr. Harrison suggested, would be an increase in rates, priority for transportation of new material, appointment ap-pointment of a traffic management for government freight and exemption from the draft for railroad employes. The railroads' opposition to govern ment operation is well understood among officials who have followed the situation, but some surprise was expressed ex-pressed last night at their objection to suspension of provisions against pooling traffic and profits. In the opinion of many officials, a complete co-ordination of. rail systems can not be accomplished until the roads pool their traffic, which of itself involves a pooling of profits. The advantages In pooling have been pointed to as the chief argument for government operation, since tho government directing the lines could pool traffic without violating inhibitions inhibi-tions Imposed now for the protection of the public. to its special report to congress made public a few days ago the interstate inter-state commerce commission held out two alternatives for relief of tho transportation trans-portation situation. One was tho suspension sus-pension of antl-lrast laws and tho other government operation. Com-missioner Com-missioner McChord, in a supplementary supplemen-tary opinion, which it has been said since Is approved by other members emphatically urged government operation opera-tion as the only remedy. Those within the government who believe the railroads themselves can handle the situation if given freo rein do not oppose legislation to make full pooling compulsory. If such a course were pursued, they admit, it might be advisable to name a governmentrail-S??tTfodm!niStrator governmentrail-S??tTfodm!niStrator wh0 uld see M.8' f th etare |