Remedial Railroad Legislation 1919 (Classic Reprint)

Robert S. Binkerd

ISBN 10: 1331423198 / ISBN 13: 9781331423195

Published by Forgotten Books, 2022

About this Item

Print on Demand. This book is an early 20th-century analysis of railroad legislation that was needed in order for the nation's railroads to return to private ownership and operation after World War I. American railroad companies, under government control since 1917, were to be reorganized under new regulations to ensure their solvency and ongoing viability. The author argues that private ownership, enterprise, and initiative in the creation, extension, improvement, and operation of American railways should be fostered and preserved, and that government ownership and operation of these facilities is not conducive to the highest economic efficiency of the country. The text presented here is the testimony given before the Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce in January 1919 by several railroad executives, who argue that the new legislation should give private industry more power over rates and fewer restrictions on mergers and consolidations. They contend that these changes would lead to greater investment in the nation's rail infrastructure and foster the economic development of the country as a whole. This book is a reproduction of an important historical work, digitally reconstructed using state-of-the-art technology to preserve the original format. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in the book.

Seller Inventory # 9781331423195_0

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Remedial Railroad Legislation 1919 (Classic Reprint)
• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication Date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1331423198
• ISBN 13: 9781331423195
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: New
• Book Type: print-on-demand item
• Seller catalogs:
  • General Administrative Records

About this title

Synopsis

Historic debate on how U.S. railroads should be governed after World War I, with focus on private ownership, government oversight, and the return to private management.

This edition compiles testimony and statements presented to the Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce. It covers proposals for returning railroads to private operation, the balance between public regulation and private initiative, and the ideas debated by industry leaders, lawmakers, and experts. Readers will see early 20th‑century questions about rates, competition, capital needs, and how to protect public service while preserving private enterprise.

• Understand the central arguments for private ownership and how competition and efficiency were viewed as benefits to passengers and shippers.
• See how regulators and lawmakers discussed rate fairness, public interests, and the role of a federal transportation head or cabinet‑level oversight.
• Learn about labor considerations, wages, working conditions, and how a stable framework was proposed to avoid service disruptions.
• Get a sense of the practical concerns surrounding consolidation, federal versus state powers, and the path toward a lasting regulatory structure.

Ideal for readers of transportation policy history, regulatory debates, and early 20th‑century economic policy.