Marry the Girl?

Railroader Robert R. Young was as happy as a bridegroom as he appeared before ICC in Washington last week. He wanted permission for himself and Robert J. Bowman, president of the Chesapeake & Ohio, to sit on the New York Central's board of directors. Thus he could vote his 400,000 shares (6%) of Central stock and exercise working control of the road. As Young had been invited in by Central, he looked for no opposition from it.

Young spoke flamboyantly of the benefits--notably of "revolutionary" improvement in service--which a "trial marriage" between Central and C. & O. would bring to both partners.

It would also, he said, end "banker control" of Central. How? asked ICC. "Why," said Young in surprise, "our very presence would relieve it." If he liked the girl enough, after going with her eight or nine years, said Young, he might later marry her by unifying the two roads. He painted the sad plight of Central, "the finest railroad property in the richest country in the world . . . being kicked around in The Street for virtually 10-c- on the dollar."

Young was quite prepared for the attacks of such opponents as the Virginian Railway, a C. & 0. competitor in the coal-hauling business; of old enemies in the Nickel Plate, whose control he had given up; and of the Chrysler Corp., which said that it feared higher freight rates for automobiles because of less railroad competition. But Young was not prepared for a sharp heel in the teeth from the bride-to-be herself.

As witness against Young, the Virginian called two officials of the New York Central. Said Jess P. Patterson, Central's general freight traffic manager: "I did not like the reference to a trial marriage . . . that kind of marriage ends in disaster. . . . Such a merger is not a good thing for the Central." Did W. F. Place, Central's vice president in charge of finance, think the marriage would improve Central's credit standing? Said he tersely: "No." Young's flustered counsel hastily asked for a recess. At week's end, as ICC took the case under advisement, Bob Young was still ruffled over his would-be bride's skittishness. Said he: "It was certainly most unbecoming, under the circumstances."

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