The Washington times., 1913-09-06

A surprising amount of Government
ownership talk is rife in Washington
just now.
If one goes below the surface little
at any time. he will discover a widely
held belief among men in Congress and
welI-informed officials that the, trend
of things is surely toward Government
ownership of railroads and other pub
lie utilities in this country. But lately
there has been an unusual amount Of
such talk because of the shocking wreck
on the New Haven near Wallingford
and the fact that this wreck, coming on
the heels of series of other deadly
disasters OH this railroad system, mas
served to bring out in clearer light the
weaknesses and deficiencies of private
ownership plus a certain meansure OF
Government control
True, most men in public life, at
least men in Congress and official life.
believe that whatever delinquencies may
be charged up to the present system
of dealing with the railroads, private
ownership and a certain amount of Gov
ernment control, this system is pre-.
ferable 10 Government ownership. But
the number is large and growing rapidly
who take the other view and who be-
l.eve that, whatever may be the objec-
tions to Government ownership, 1t has
advantages over the present system.
MANY who do not believe personally
in Government ownership OF the rail-
roads ard ether public utilities be-
e,;an isye the REse1stSIy Resas,ISmI is III 'na
AS illustrating sentiment in some
quarters in Congress. one of the ablest
Progressive party men IN Congress tne
other cay was asked what interpreta-
tiCn he put on the latest New haven
horror He replied:
II do not at this time care to say
publicly what / think 1t means. But
what 1 really believe is that 1t Is one
Of the things that Is sweeping this
country rapidly and irresistibly toward
1 feel that Government ownership should
come and that Government control Is a
failure The time has not yet come
when ! care to say this In pubic. pc
cause / would be charged with being
unduly radical and ahead of the process
sion. But to me this sort of thing points
clearly to Government ownership. Nor
do 1 believe II Is very far distant. Five
years ago nobody believed We would
soon have a parcels post. But the coun-
try got aroused to the need OF II ana
it came almost overnight And that
will be the way with Government own
ership. 1t will be upon US almost before
we know it."
1t is significant that in practically all
the discussions which come up in
either house of Congress on the sub
ject of more stringent railroad control.
there is an undercurrent. of talk to the
effect that, unless control is made strin-
gent an2 effective. Government owner
ship will come. This view Is widely
held, both by men who believe in public
ownership and those who do not.
Before the conference of governors at
Colorado Springs recently. Gov. Edward
F. Dunno of Illinois spoke on the
growth Of public control Of public utili-
ties. He told how remarkably thia had
developed, especially since 1905. He pre-
dicted that il public control failed pub
lie ownership would result. and said.
though he believed control would not
fail, ownership was the "only alterna-
tive" This address has been widely
commented on. and is attracting wide
attention. The American Federation of
Labor in one Of its publications gave It
notice
Nobody who has been watching the